Electrical Resistivity Measurements in Detonating Composition B and Pentolite

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Abstract
Measurements of electrical resistivity in the detonation zone of Pentolite and Composition B have been made. The first probe configuration consisted of rails of copper on opposite sides of the charge and parallel to the direction of propagation of the detonation. The second consisted of two parallel copper wires mounted in a ceramic insulator with the wire ends either placed against an explosive face or cast into the explosive. The third consisted of two copper plates oriented to resemble the letter T, one plate having its flat side against an explosive face, the other plate having its thin edge placed against an opposite face. The current under an applied external voltage was recorded; by means of suitable calibrations, the electrical resistivity was calculated. Resistivity in Pentolite and Composition B was the order of 1 Ω-cm from all probes. The zone of highest conductivity in 2.5-cm-diam Pentolite and Composition B charges was about 1 cm long on the axis of the charge, narrowing to less than 0.2 mm at the surface. The conduction front in Baratol was located within the von Neumann spike.

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