• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.844-852
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• 2014

PBX simulant is known to exhibit highly nonlinear behaviors of deformation such as the stress softening, hysteresis under cyclic loading, residual strain after unloading, and aging. This paper proposes a new pseudo-elastic model for PBX simulant considering stress softening and residual strain. Uniaxial loading and unloading tests at quasi-static states were carried out in order to obtain the mechanical properties of the PBX simulants. And then the Dorfmann-Ogden model is modified to make it consistent with the test result of PBX simulants. Prediction with the new model shows a good correspondence to the experimental data demonstrating that the model properly describes stress softening and residual strain of PBX simulants.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.286-292
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• 2014

The rheology of highly concentrated polymer bonded explosive (PBX) simulant was studied. An energy material, polyethylene plastomer (Exact$^{TM}$) having similar properties to poly(BAMO-AMMO) was selected as a binder. Dechlorane with similar properties to RDX (Research Department eXplosive) was chosen as a filler. Mixing behavior in a batch melt mixer was investigated. During mixing a large amount of heat of viscous dissipation was generated and a continuous decrease in torque was observed when the filler content was above 70 v%. It was believed due to wall slip phenomena. From the SEM images, the fillers were well dispersed and the effect of mixing condition affected slightly on the dispersion. Owing to distinct shear thinning behavior of the suspensions, measuring viscosity of highly filled suspensions was possible in a high shear rate capillary rheometer though it was impossible even in a low shear rate plateplate rheometer.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.225-231
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• 2014

The rheological properties of highly concentrated polymer bonded explosive simulant were studied by using poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) with 30 and 60% vinyl acetate (VA) content as a binder, respectively. Calcium carbonate and Dechlorane, whose physical properties are similar to resarch department explosive (RDX)'s, were used as fillers. The suspensions were mixed in a batch melt mixer and it was possible to fill 75 v% at maximum. From dynamic mechanical analysis, Dechlorane showed higher interaction with binder resins than that with calcium carbonate fillers. The effects of microstructural change on the rheological properties of the suspensions were investigated by a plate-plate rheometer with constant shear rate and constant shear stress modes, respectively. The theoretical maximum packing fraction of EVA31/Dechlorane suspension obtained from Krieger-Dougherty equation was 70 v% and it was thought that 2000 Pa was proper shear stress condition for this melt processing.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.417-424
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• 2014

Reactivity and rheological behavior of highly concentrated polymer bonded explosives (PBX) simulant was studied. As a binder, thermosetting hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) was used. By using bimodal $CaCO_3$ (size ratio 10:1) and sugar particles (size ratio 25:1) as fillers, maximum 75 v% filling was possible during melt mixing. The relative viscosities of bimodal suspension were much lower than those of unimodal one and showed minimum values at 0.25 of fine particle fraction. In curing experiment, as curing temperature increased, the time of initiation and completeness of curing reaction became shortened, the torque kept low, and the change of internal temperature decreased.