Structure of detonation waves in tetranitromethane and its mixtures with methanol

A VISAR laser interferometer was used to measure mass velocity profiles in steady-state detonation waves in tetranitromethane and its mixtures with methanol. In the experiments with tetranitromethane, the chemical-spike pressure was found to be 1.7 times higher than the Chapman–Jouguet pressure. In mixtures with nearly stoichiometric methanol concentrations, the detonation front remained stable, but the chemical-spike amplitude increased suddenly and the shock broadened, probably due to the decomposition of the explosive at the front. A 50% increase in methanol concentration led to instability of the detonation front manifested in oscillations in the mass velocity profiles.