Initiation mechanism of TNT: Deuterium isotope effect as an experimental probe

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Abstract
A large deuterium kinetic isotope effect in the thermal decomposition of methyl deuterated 2,4,6-trini-trotoluene (TNT-α-d3) has been confirmed and tested for its possible influence on the shock sensitivity and detonation velocity. A comparison of the exploding foil shock sensitivity tests and miniature detonation velocity measurements performed on TNT-α-d3 and two differently prepared control samples of unlabeled TNT showed that the former was significantly lower in sensitivity as well as detonation velocity. These results indicate that the rate-determining steps in the controlled condensed phase decomposition and in the chemical mechanism of initiation and detonation are likely to be the same.