Review of the development of application technologies of CL-20

The development of application technologies of CL-20 in the last two decades is reviewed,and the criterion which determines a military high energy compound’s practical applications is presented.The research achievements in composite explosives,solid rocket propellants and gun propellants are summarized and discussed.Most of these achievements were obtained during the end of the last century and the beginning of this century.Some composite explosives have overcome the shortcomings of the high sensitivity of CL-20 and greatly improved the power of the explosive formulas,such as PAX-11,PAX-12 and PAX-29.The solid rocket propellants containing CL-20 showed higher energy output and lower signature in spite of slightly higher sensitivity.The gun propellants containing CL-20 showed higher energy and the same sensitivity compared with the RDX gun propellants.It is believed that the research of CL-20 has turned into application stage from laboratory study stage.A great number of successful formulas related to CL-20 have been invented,and some of them could fulfill the use in weapon system.