Modeling ammonium nitrate explosive properties

Nuianzin Vitalii

National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4785-0814

Tregubov Dmytro

National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1821-822X

Maiboroda Artem

National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6108-9772

Trefilova Larisa

National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9061-4206

Mazurov Volodymyr

National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0415-7834

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52363/2524-0226-2025-42-11

Keywords: ammonium nitrate, explosiveness, supramolecular structure, cluster, detonation ability, damage radius

Аnnotation

The ideas about occurrence mechanisms of agricultural ammonium nitrate explosive properties are systematized. It is shown that they only partially describe the such events randomness without substantiating development clear mechanisms. The directions of saltpeter properties changes under different additives and storage conditions, as well as ways to increase it structure stability during storage, are systematized. Mechanisms for preventing the explosiveness occurrence for agro-mixtures of nitrate with ammonium sulfate or calcium carbonate were compared. Schemes of saltpeter chemical transformations during decomposition at temperature influence or other initiation routes are presented. It is shown that it explosion specific TNT equivalent varies within 0.45–1.35, depending on the accompanying factors set. The possible explosion consequences for 3.000 tons saltpeter assessed based on the average TNT equivalent. The possible consequences of 10.000 tons saltpeter agro-mixtures explosion with a disturbed composition were assessed according to the participation coefficient in the explosion. Modeling of ammonium nitrate supramolecular structure variants for the stable state and for the explosive transformations initiation moment was carried out based on the determining the detonation ability index KD using the "melting ease" index. It was established that the scheme "linear cluster based on nitrobase" gives a high indicator KD >1, which does not correspond to reality; for tetragonal lattices KD < 1 was obtained, which shows the explosive properties absence; under crystal structure destruction conditions, for dimers with a clustering scheme with nitro groups “facing each other”, KD >1 was obtained, which determines significant explosive properties. The forming different supramolecular structures possibility determines the forming different explosive proper-ties ability.

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