Detonation parameters of mixtures containing ammonium nitrate and aluminium

Ammonium nitrate (AN) is the most popular ingredient of commercial explosives. Pure AN is not treated as an explosive compound but a slight organic or inorganic addition makes the mixture capable of explosion. In the paper the experimental tests were focused on aluminium (Al) as the most effective sensitizer. Mixture of AN or water solution AN with aluminium (ammonals and hydro-ammonals) were studied. Using electromagnetic method of measuring of the mass velocity behind the detonation wave front (Dremin’s method), detonation parameters as well the shape of detonation waves in explosive mixtures were determined. The essential factor influencing the detonation parameters of the studied explosives is their physical structure.