DEVELOPMENT OF REAL-TIME X-RAY DIFFRACTION INSTRUMENTATION TO ASSESSAUTOMATED MANUFACTURE OF RDX AND HMX

RECENT WORK PERFORMED AT NSWC, WHITE OAK, MD HAS SHOWN THAT CONVENTIONAL LAUE X-RAY TRANSMISSION PATTERNS OBTAINED BY FILM METHODS GIVE AN INDICATION OF GROWN-IN MICROSTRUCTURAL DEFORMATION OF HOLSTEN CLASS D RDX ENERGETIC MATERIALS. THE OBJECT OF THIS STUDY IS TO DETERMINE IF X-RAY LAUE PATTERNS FROM RDX AND/OR HMX ILLUSTRATING SEVERE MICROSTRUCTURAL DEFORMATION ALSO CORRESPOND TO POOR PERFORMANCE IN THESE MATERIALS. ALSO, EXISTING REAL-TIME X-RAY LAUE SYSTEMS WILL BE FURTHER DEVELOPED AND MODIFIED FOR USE AS A QUALITY CONTROL METHOD FOR RDX AND/OR HMX. THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE CHARACTERIZATION OF LABORATORY GROWN RDX AND HOLSTEN CLASS D MATERIALS FOR TWO YEARS. ALSO, SINCE 1978 BRIMROSE HAS BEEN A PIONEER IN THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF REAL-TIME X-RAY DIFFRACTION IMAGING EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS APPLICATIONS IN QUALITY CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENTAL SEMICONDUCTORS FOR DOD AND NASA LABORATORIES.