Photoinitiated Explosives Based on Inorganic Photodetonors

This project will explore the feasibility of using a complex inorganic salt as a primary photodetonator in the development of a photoinitiated explosive. Photodentonation has been observed in a perchlorate salt of a transition metal complex. This salt is not a conventional shock detonator, and so may represent the first case of atrue photodetonator. The potential importance of complex inorganic photodetonators to the development of a photoinitiated explosive is twofold. First, the photosensitizer and detonator are contained within a single crystalline structure rather than in a heterogeneous material. Second, many synthetic routes are available for optimization by variation of the metal ion, ligands, or counterions. In Phase I, criteria will be established to judge the performance of different complex inorganic materials for explosives development. The original complex inorganic photodetonator will be studied in order to identify crystalline and electronic structuralfactors that are critical to its photodetonation. Other potential detonator salts will be identified through a literature survey. Synthetic routes to optimal materials will be proposed. Finally, experiments will be designed for Phase II testing of the feasibility of photoinitiated detonatio, including the optical characterizatin of photodetonator materials, quantitative comparison of standardized photodetonator systems, and field testing of prototype devices.