Conference Session A4
Paper 132
Disclaimer—This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is
based on publicly available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for
any purpose other than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering
students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk.
INNOVATION IN EXPLOSIVES
Brandon George, [email protected], Vidic 2:00, Aeneus Evans, [email protected], Sanchez 5:00
Abstract—Conventional explosives used by the military such
as TNT are dangerous both on the battlefield and in storage.
TNT is very sensitive to heat, vibration, and punctures.
Unfortunately, there have been cases where the high
sensitivity of TNT has led to unintentional explosions that
have claimed the lives of soldiers. To reduce the risk of an
unintentional explosion, and therefore unintended injury or
death, insensitive munitions were developed.
Insensitive munitions are those that can withstand a
wide range of conditions that would otherwise cause a
potential explosion in a traditional munition. These
conditions include: shock from transportation or being
pierced by a bullet; heat, such as a nearby fire; and nearby
explosions. The ability of these types of munitions to
withstand these conditions make them a much safer option, as
they are designed to only explode when intended.
The increase in safety of these munitions is a great
benefit to the world, as it is easier to prevent accidental
explosions, decreasing the risk of loss of life. For the
purposes of this paper, we will focus on how insensitive
munitions are an improvement in the military world, and
more specifically how the insensitive munitions IMX-101 is a
superior explosive to the traditional TNT.
Key Words— IMX-101, TNT, Insensitive munitions, Safer
explosives, TNT Replacement.
WHAT IS TNT
FIGURE 1 [12]
Trinitrotoluene in its original, yellow powder form
Trinitrotoluene (written as C6H2(NO2)3CH3) also
commonly known as TNT, is a yellow-colored solid that is
known for its high explosive potential. Scientifically known
as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, TNT is one of the most commonly
used explosive for military, industrial, and mining
applications. The explosive yield of TNT is even used as the
standard measure for other bombs and explosives. TNT was
created by German chemist Julius Wilbrand who used it
initially as a yellow dye. Its high explosive properties were
not discovered for a long time because it was so difficult to
find a way to make TNT detonate. When its explosive
properties were first discovered, it was considered so
insensitive that it was exempt from the United Kingdom's
Explosive Act of 1975 and was not even considered an
explosive [9].
HISTORY OF TNT
Before the development of TNT, the explosives used
were very unstable and were prone to spontaneous
combustion. Compounds like black powder and
nitroglycerine were highly explosive but, due to their low
activation energies, required little to no stimulation to
denotate. In fact, the very first shipment of the nitroglycerine
compound exploded accidentally and killed fifteen people on
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering 1
Submission Date 3.31.2017
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Brandon George
board the ship. TNT, on the other hand, was proven to be
stable in solid form and in liquid form, with the ability to be
poured by manufacturers due to the melting point being lower
than the point of combustion. TNT has a high detonation
velocity at six thousand six hundred forty meters per second,
and has an energy content of four and six tenths megajoules
per kilogram, an energy-density figure which is still used as a
frame of reference for modern bombs. An example of this is
that nuclear bombs are given yields in megatons of TNT. [9]
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TNT EXPLODES
FIGURE 3 [9]
Chemical Formula of the Decomposition of TNT on
detonation
TNT is prone to reacting with components produced by
sunlight and is both thermodynamically and kinetically
capable of reacting with other components of environmental
systems, such as photons, hydrogen sulfide, or an iron cation.
An important process of exciting energetic compounds is
photolysis, which is a chemical reaction that breaks down a
chemical compound with photons. This alteration occurs
during the absorption of direct sunlight with a transfer of
energy. Evidence of photolysis during the detonation of TNT
is evident in the color change from yellow to pink in the
wastewaters. [9] The reaction itself is exothermic, or releases
energy into the surroundings, however, the activation energy
to start the reaction is relatively high in its gaseous state
compared to its condensed solid or liquid states [9]. Due to
the production of carbon, TNT explosions can be described as
having a "sooty appearance" to then [9]. In addition to this,
the carbon in TNT itself causes explosions with more energy
per kilogram than the original TNT explosion if added to
compounds rich with oxygen. If some of this carbon reacts
initially with the oxygen in the atmosphere, the heat of the
combustion of TNT is fourteen and one-half megajoules per
kilogram. In comparison, "gunpower contains three
megajoules per kilogram, dynamite contains seven and onehalf megajoules per kilogram, and gasoline contains fortyseven and two tenths megajoules per kilogram."[9]
FIGURE 2 [13]
Three-step process illustrating the production of
TNT
For the preparation of TNT, first toluene is nitrated
with both sulfuric acid and nitric acid to create MNT
(mononitrotolene). MNT is then put aside and made into
DNT (dinitrotoluene) by renitration. Finally, DNT is nitrated
into TNT using a mixture containing nitric acid and oleum.
The TNT is then stabilized using an aqueous solution of
sodium sulfite in a process called sulfitation to remove all
other unwanted reaction products and less stable isomers. [9]
After TNT was found out to be a very useful explosive, both
Europe and America made use of it in World War I.
However, TNT was found to have two main problems:
extreme insensitivity in its cast form and a difficulty to cast
without an air hole on it. The first problem was initially
solved by drilling a small hole into the shell and filling it with
tetryl (trinitrophenylmethylnitramine) and the second
problem was solved by mixing sixty percent of the TNT with
forty percent of a chemical called TNX (trinitroxylene).
Mixing the two chemicals together allows the cast to be
detonated with small tetryl booster. [11]
PROBLEMS WITH TNT
TNT is known to be an effective explosive and was
thought to be useful due to the insensitivity of the chemical, it
is now known to have many drawbacks. TNT is very
poisonous and causes skin problems, like irritation or
discoloring [9]. Exposure to TNT for a prolonged period of
time is known to cause anemia, abnormal liver functions, and
other harmful immune system effects that have been known
to be shared by animals who also ingested or inhaled the
chemical [9]. Military testing grounds have also been affected
negatively by TNT [9]. Most importantly, storing TNT in
areas of high temperature can cause exudation of the
impurities, leading to cracks and fire channels which increase
shock sensitivity and the risk of accidental detonations [9].
We will use this information to transition into examples of
how the drawbacks of TNT caused issues. When it comes to
manufacturing the actual compound, it must be precise work,
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otherwise impurities can form, leading to faults and cracks in
the TNT itself, increasing the likelihood of accidental
detonation in the laboratory where the compound was being
manufactured or when in military or industrial use as TNT.
The toxicity of TNT is not limited to effects on the body
of those who use it, but also spreads to the soil, atmosphere,
and biosphere. The residue of TNT can pollute water and soil
from manufacturing, storing the TNT, and the use of it. "The
USEPA maintains that the level of TNT in soil should not
exceed 17.2 grams per kilogram of soil and one onehundredth milligrams per liter of water. The substance is also
toxic to aquatic organisms and may have negative, long term
effects on the aquatic environment. "Dissolution is the
measure of the rate that solid TNT in contact with water can
be dissolved."[9] Since the aqueous solubility of TNT is low,
dissolution of solid particles is continuously released into the
environment over an extended period of time. In addition to
this, TNT is moderately soluble in water, which means it can
migrate and travel through the soil under the surface and
cause contamination in the water. "Absorption is a measure
of the distribution between soluble and sediment absorbed
contaminates."[9] TNT and its products after transformation
have been known to absorb into surface soils and sediments,
where they are then able to be stored or transformed again.
This movement or contamination of organic compounds
through soil and sediment is a function related to their ability
to associate with the water (mobile phase) and the soil
(stationary phase).
FIGURE4 [10]
Picture of the damage done to the base in Kuwait
As illustrated in the above picture, TNT can cause
immense amounts of damage both on and off the battlefield.
The radius of the damage is very large and helps put into
perspective what accidental explosions can produce. This was
not the only case during the Gulf War, as TNT was the culprit
of more damage done to our own resources throughout the
war. Most of the disabling damage done to vehicles was
because the vehicles were carrying sensitive munitions that
would often detonate because of the unwanted stimuli. [10]
For example, whenever trucks carrying TNT came under
attack or drove over a mine, the TNT was at a very high risk
of exploding, and often did.
The US Navy experienced an uncontrolled explosion
aboard one of their ships in 1967. On the USS Forrestal, a
ZUNI rocket was accidentally fired from an aircraft being
prepared for launch. It was launched into another aircraft,
erupting the fuel into a blaze which then set off a chain
reaction of explosives, starting with a nearby bomb that tore
through the flight deck into the lower decks, setting off more
explosives at varying intensities. Numbers were 161 killed,
134 injured, and 21 aircraft destroyed. This resulted in
damage costs that neared the 2-billion-dollar range. [10]
WHERE TNT HAS FAILED
The high sensitivity of TNT has led to a multitude of
cases where unintentional explosions have caused injury or
death to those around it. All cases in which TNT has led to
unintentional explosions were caused by munitions that were
TNT exploding because of external forces such as heat and
explosions A few examples include incidents that occurred to
branches of the US Military. These defense organizations use
TNT based munitions the most and all have experienced
accidental explosions of munitions that resulted in damage to
materials and loss of life.
The US Army experienced an inadvertent explosion due
to fire in Black Horse Camp in Kuwait in 1991. The tally of
people that were killed reached 56 and the resulting damage
cost around 50 million dollars. A defective heater in the
munition storage room set fire to the building, leading to the
nearby munitions reacting to the high temperature of the fire
and causing large explosions. It was recorded that more tanks
were destroyed in this accident than throughout the entire
war. [10]
HOW TO PREVENT UNEXPECTED
EXPLOSIONS
All of these incidents were unneeded and unnecessary
and were all ones that could have been prevented. After
incidents like the one on the USS Forrestal, the government
employed engineers to develop a solution to the issues of all
these explosives going off without us wanting them to. The
solution is to create a munition that can withstand the extreme
external stimuli that is present when explosives tend to go off
without intention. These types of munitions are called
insensitive munitions. An insensitive munition is exactly
what its name suggests, a type of munition that “… will not
detonate under any conditions other than its intended mission
to destroy a target.” [1] All the factors that caused the
munitions to go off in the detailed accidents have little to no
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effect on insensitive munitions. They will not detonate when
subject to being pierced, high temperatures, or if they are near
a target being hit with an explosive. They are designed to
only explode when intended to.
This idea of having munitions that do not explode when
subject to such stimuli is not a very recent one, but the actual
successful manufacturing and large adoption of one is.
Insensitive Munitions Explosive 101 is the first insensitive
munition to successfully be capable of resisting all external
stimuli that would have previously set an explosive off.
IMX-101, as it has been dubbed, was developed by BAE
Systems engineers for use by the branches of the US Military
to replace TNT in its entirety. IMX-101 began to be adopted
by the branches of the military around 2010 and is currently
being provided. At the time, in 2010, there had been an
ongoing selection program to find low cost, insensitive
munitions that met the requirements set by the Department of
Defense. IMX-101 was found, out of the 23 that were tested,
to be the cheapest solution to pass and exceed all of the tests
it was put through. [5] IMX-101 is on track to take the place
of TNT and make the grounds and trucks that house and
transport our troops a much safer place.
FIGURE 6 [14]
The molecular structure for a component of IMX101: nitrotriazolone
WHAT IS IMX-101
IMX-101 is a high-performance, insensitive explosive
created mainly to replace TNT in artillery shells in response
to accidents due to the instability of TNT and other similar
explosives. BAE Systems and the United States Army
developed IMX "to provide explosive force equivalent to
TNT without its sensitivity to shocks, such as gunfire,
explosions from improvised explosive devices, fire and
shrapnel." [3] IMX is composed of 2,4-dinitroanisole (or
DNAN), nitrotriazolone (or NTO), and nitroguanidine (NQ)
with trace amounts of N-methyl-p-nitroaniline (MNA) for an
aid in processing. This mixture of compounds is what allows
IMX-101 to be so insensitive.
FIGURE 7 [14]
The molecular structure for a component of IMX101: nitroguanidine
COMPONENTS OF IMX-101
The three figures above show the molecular structure of
the three insensitive explosives uses in IMX-101. The first is
DNAN, which although it is not as explosively powerful as
TNT, DNAN replace the TNT formula when included in melt
cast explosives. Melt cast explosives are explosives that are
created by melting the main components of the explosive to
the liquid state so that they can be poured into a mold and to
take the shape of whatever is desired. Once poured into the
mold, the explosive then undergoes a phase change back to a
solid so the explosive properties can be utilized. DNAN has a
relatively low melting point of 94 degrees Celsius, allowing it
to be useful when an ingredient of a melt cast explosive such
as IMX-101 [2].
The second explosive, NTO, adds to the insensitive
nature of IMX-101. NTO has high insensitivity to heat,
shock, friction while maintaining a detonation velocity equal
to that of RDX, a component of TNT, at around 8,750 meters
FIGURE 5 [14]
The molecular structure for a component of IMX101: 2,4-dinitroanisole
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per second [14]. NTO is also in a high yield because of the
inexpensive starting materials required to create it [14].
The third insensitive explosive, NQ, is also insensitive
to heat, shock, and friction and has a high detonation velocity
of 8,200 meters per second, similarly to that of NTO [14].
The compound is commonly used in explosives and has been
around for almost a century due to its ability to reduce flame
temperature on things like the muzzle flash of a gun firing.
The lower flame temperatures help to increase the longevity
of the bores of the artillery that are used to fire the explosives
[14]. These three components are what make IMX-101
comparable to TNT in terms of explosive power while
increasing the insensitive nature of the explosive.
HOW IMX-101 WORKS
FIGURE 8 [2]
IMX-101 Thermal Decomposition mechanism
To generate an explosion, IMX-101 works just as any
other type of explosive would, with the reaction of specific
ingredients so to create a large amount of excess energy. This
energy then builds up in a small region of space inside the
explosive and expands at a high velocity. IMX-101 uses the
compounds of DNAN, NTO, and NQ to generate the
explosion. But what sets IMX-101 apart from other
explosives is its ability to resist exploding even when subject
to intense stimuli.
The insensitive nature of IMX-101 is because of the
ability of its materials to decompose in a safe manner when
subject to unwanted stimuli, such as intense and rapid
heating. When subject to external stimuli that causes the
ingredients to interact, decomposition of IMX-101 begins
with low temperature dissolution of some of the solid NQ
into liquid DNAN. The solution of NQ/DNAN then mixes
with the bulk liquid-phase DNAN and provides contact
between the NQ and NTO particle surfaces. At the contact
surface, NQ becomes adsorbed onto the NTO surface.
Dissolved NQ also reacts directly in the dissolved state to
form its normal decomposition products, illustrated in IM3 of
figure 8, while the surface reaction of NQ with NTO forms
NQ and NTO decomposition products. Finally, the
NQ/DNAN solution reacts with remaining liquid-phase
DNAN to form a polymeric intermediate that can react with
the NTO polymeric intermediate to form the final residue.
The main drivers for this altered reaction scheme is the
dissolution of NQ into liquid-phase DNAN [2]. The overall
process of the decomposition as described as illustrated in
figure 8.
The main factor in the starting of the decomposition
process is a shift in the normal decomposition temperatures
of the main ingredients. Simplistically, whenever the main
ingredients (DNAN, NQ, and NTO) interact with each other
when subject to unintentional stimuli, they react with one
another so to change the temperature at which they
decompose. So, when a large heat source, such a fire, is near
the munition, the materials simply melt and do not react with
each other in a way that produces an explosion.
This can also explain why IMX-101 doesn’t explode
when subject to vibrations or being pierced by a bullet or
shrapnel. The shift in temperature results whenever the
explosive is met with any type of high energy source, such as
vibrations or a bullet. The lower temperatures indicate slower
reaction rates, which directly translates to the ability to
consume the reactants under conditions where energy is able
to be transferred before large build ups of localized energy
can form cause an explosion. Thus, as summarized by the
Sandia National Laboratories, “As the external event
continues to drive energy into the material and increase its
internal temperature, less and less energetic material is
available to react and the overall response never rises to a
violent event.” [2]
IMX-101 VS TNT
It may seem that IMX-101 is the best choice for the
future of safe munitions, but when compared to TNT we can
see if it really is the better alternative. In our comparison, we
will discuss the explosive power of the munition, the ability
to resist external stimuli, and the logistics of making and
housing each type.
In terms of explosive power, IMX-101 is equivalent to
that of TNT. The design of IMX-101 comprises of
ingredients that carry the same explosive power as that of
TNT. The DNAN compound found in IMX-101 is the main
contributing factor to the explosive power, as DNAN has
been found to have similar explosive characteristics to that of
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TNT. DNAN also is intrinsically more stable than TNT, thus
it has been used in other types of insensitive munitions. It is
also roughly ten percent less powerful, but its use in IMX101 gives it an explosive power closer to that of TNT. [3]
The ability to resist external stimuli is where IMX-101
really shines. It was designed purely to be resistive and is the
clear winner when pitted against TNT. TNT is highly
unstable, as even the slightest bit of mistreatment can set it
off. When subject to a drop test, TNT is mostly resilient, but
if any impurities form, the TNT can react causing it to
explode. IMX-101 on the other hand, can withstand large
amounts of impact or vibrations even when compromised.
During an evaluation program to see how IMX worked, it
was loaded into a 155mm M795 artillery projectile and
subjected to many test, some include bullet impact with small
arms, slow heating with fire in adjacent vehicle or magazine,
fast heating with vehicle or aircraft fuel fire, and severe
sympathetic reaction of same munition in magazine, aircraft
or vehicle. All IMX-101 loaded artillery passed each of the
United States Army IM tests, "further confirming its superior
insensitive munition characteristics compared to TNT."[8]
Onto logistics, the main comparison is the price delta. It
currently costs $8 per pound to make IMX-101 and $6 per
pound for TNT [6]. It is a pretty sizeable difference, but price
is not the only thing that matters when it comes to logistics.
In terms of storing the explosives, IMX-101 can house many
more units in the same area when compared to TNT. IMX101 meets safety regulations that TNT does not that allows
IMX-101 to be contained closer to weapons testing sites and
military bases, along with being able to be held closer to
civilian populations.
storage as IMX-101. The radius for TNT is the dark green
and the radius needed for PBX is light green. This is a
massive difference in land area needed to store munitions.
This means that insensitive munitions can be stored closer to
civilian populations and testing grounds. The ability to store
munitions closer to other locations decreases the amount of
time necessary for the munitions to be collected and the
amount of time needed to transport it from one location to the
next. This at the same time reduces transportation and
housing costs, so depending on the cost of housing and
transportation, it could potentially cost the same for the
military to use.
PROBLEMS WITH IMX-101
IMX-101 is clearly the better explosive when in
comparison to TNT when it comes to overall safety, while
having the same explosive power. However, some small
problems exist with IMX-101. The IMX compound itself
does cost more to make than TNT did, starting at eight dollars
per pound, while TNT was six dollars per pound [10]. This
difference in starting cost is most likely due to the fact that
the material to make IMX is nowhere near as accessible to
manufacturers as the material needed to manufacture TNT.
TNT is very cheap to make due to its easily accessibility and
cheap materials, while IMX will cost more to get the
materials and make the compound. The other problem that
exists is that IMX-101 is a relatively new explosive, while
TNT has been used for years. Even though the mass
distribution of IMX-101 is under way, there is still an
abundance of TNT. Logistically, simply getting rid of TNT
and using only IMX-101 would be a nightmare. There are not
enough resources available for the manufacturing and
distribution of IMX-101. This would be inefficient and
produce a sizeable amount of downtime for those who would
be the last ones to receive shipments, putting those units at a
severe disadvantage.
Secondly there is the price delta. IMX-101 on average
costs $8 per pound to manufacture and distribute, where TNT
costs around $6 per pound. That may not seem like a
significant margin, but when you consider the number of
pounds of explosives used by the US military each year, that
becomes a much larger gap. When it comes to spending large
amounts of money for the defense of nation, generally the
cheapest alternative takes the win. So, although IMX-101 is
beginning to be rolled out to our troops, it is being distributed
in smaller amounts than that of TNT. The problem of supply
of explosives then becomes an issue, as the amount of
available munitions is much less than before.
Continuing the logistics argument, when you look at
each branch of the military, the Air Force, the Army, and the
Navy, they each have their own use for TNT. For example,
the Navy uses TNT in underwater munitions while the Air
Force uses aircraft-borne munitions. IMX-101 has had
extensive testing for the Army, but not for the other two
FIGURE 9 [10]
Illustration of the difference in amount of space needed to
securely house TNT vs an insensitive munition
Figure 9 depicts the difference in space needed to house
TNT versus a type of insensitive munition, both in the same
quantity. In the case of the figure, the insensitive munition is
HC 1.6 PBX, which meets the same qualifications for land
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branches. Therefore, for TNT to be entirely replaced, IMX101, or another type of insensitive munition must be able to
perform well in the scenarios that the Air Force and Navy
perform in. This was discussed in a paper on the problems
with insensitive munitions in the US military. There was a
lack of “jointness” and collaboration between the branches so
that whatever was being developed for one branch was not
cross compatible with the other branches [10].
Lastly, one of the biggest problems that has yet to rear
its head is what happens if there were to be a mistake during
production that did not allow a set to be completely
insensitive? There would be no way of telling if a batch was
capable of deployment unless every single batch were tested,
which would cost time and money. There is always the
possibility of something going wrong, and even though IMX101 is designed to prevent accidental explosions, it won’t be
that way one hundred percent of the time. What happens
when something does go wrong is something that should be
researched more on but most likely will not be until
something does go awry.
It is these problems, though, that will ultimately lead to
solutions to them, and right off the bat the main problem has
already been diminished: sensitivity of the explosive. So,
with time these problems can be fixed and we can transition
towards an even safer explosive.
impact test, where IMX scored the same as TNT [4]. The new
proven safety features of IMX-101 showed it reliability in
military use as it passed all of the U.S. Army's tests. IMX101 qualified as a main explosive and achieved qualification
for the 155 M795 type projectiles [4].
Reducing the chance of fatalities in our military is an
excellent step forward, but it doesn’t come without a cost. In
this case, it costs more to produce IMX-101 over TNT. IMX101 costs $8 per pound, compared to the $6 per pound for
TNT. This means that more of the military’s budget has to be
allotted to buying the new explosives, which results in funds
being reduced in other areas. It is possible that those funds
might come from insurance or health care benefits that help
those who have returned from wars with either physical or
mental injuries. This would not be a benefit for members of
the current generation. This could result in people who need
help not being able to afford that help that they need so that
they can live their life to the greatest extent possible.
In terms of explosives, sustainability means conserving
the explosive power and detonation speed while reducing the
negative affects explosives have on the environment, which
IMX-101 has the ability to do. During the processes of
making the IMX explosive, scientists were careful with the
selection of insensitive compounds that won't have such a
negative environmental drawback like TNT with an
unchanged net explosive power. Since IMX-101 is a new
replacement for TNT, reports of its toxicity has yet to be
reported, however, because TNT is one of the most
commonly used explosive, its toxicity is the most
characterized. TNT is known for its pollution in both soil and
atmospheric scales, so much so that the United States has
declared in the past a priority for the removal of TNT [9].
SUSTAINABILITY OF IMX-101
Is IMX-101 sustainable in the sense that it satisfies the
needs of the current generation while also ensuring that the
next generations will be able to satisfy their needs? IMX-101
is meant to make the battlefield a safer place for our soldiers
so that more of them can return home to their families. That
is ensuring the wellbeing of future generations, by decreasing
the risk of death, allowing more families to stay whole. The
children of our soldiers will be able to know that there is a
much higher chance of their mom or dad returning home to
them. By decreasing the chance that children of soldiers
might go through the traumatic experience of losing one of
their parents, it can be assured that future generations will be
able to grow up without the hole that is created when a loved
one dies. An investment like this to reduce military casualties
sat very well with the U.S. Army, as they ordered as much as
$780 million worth of IMX-101.
In addition to decreasing the military accidental casualty
rate, IMX-101 is also sustainable in the sense of reliability.
During the US Army's search for a less dangerous explosive,
they began running tests on one of the candidates, IMX. IMX
was loaded into a 155mm M795 artillery projectile and
underwent tests such as fast and slow heating, bullet impact,
fragment impact, sympathetic reaction, and shaped charge jet
impact [4]. After the completion of these tests, the
performance was compared to a 155mm M795 TNT
projectile and it was found that the 155mm of IMX-101
passed every test with a better score than TNT but the bullet
EXPLOSIVES AFTER IMX-101
Despite the problems that come with the use of IMX101, it is still the better munition for use by our troops. The
combination of insensitivity and firepower is the greater than
the logistics issues that can arise. It has been proven that
IMX-101 is the superior explosive, and one that will cause
quite the splash in the world of insensitive munitions. In the
end, IMX-101 is paving the way for the design and use of
safer explosives for use by our men. It is the first major step
towards eliminating our reliance on TNT. IMX-101 also
opens the door for the design and manufacturing of better
performing insensitive mentions that can replace other types
of explosives that sensitive. The appearance of IMX-101 onto
the military scene will allow other manufacturers and
designers to put their best foot forward and progressively
increase the quality of the munitions that we use, and soon we
may live in a world where explosive devices will only
explode when they are meant to, reducing the risk of our
soldiers losing their lives because a munition they were
transporting or housing went off when it should not have.
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These insensitive munitions will ultimately result in more
lives safely returning home to their families.
IMX-101 represents a large advancement forward in the
quickly advancing world of explosives. Hopefully this trend
of safer, more efficacious explosives will one day lead to
fool-proof equipment, drastically decreasing unnecessary
injuries and fatalities.
http://www.brighthub.com/education/homeworktips/articles/85531.aspx
[12] Q. J. Ding. "TriNitroToluene (TNT), the Mistaken
Dynamite." TriNitroToluene (TNT), the Mistaken Dynamite.
1.1.1970.
Accessed
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http://jaydenchemistry.blogspot.com/2015/07/trinitrotoluenetnt-compound-which-is.html
[13] “Explosions and Explosives.” Knowledge Book.
6.16.2012.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank our conference chair and cochair Mark Jeffrey and Iman Basha for their insight and
advice in regard to our paper. Their input was very valuable
and enabled us to complete the paper in a timely fashion.
Also, we would like to extend our gratitude to peers Seth So
and Ben K. Koo for their tireless efforts in provision of moral
support.
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