The explosive performance of PBX 9404, a condensed phase explosive with HMX and nitrocellulose reactive ingredients, was evaluated using the detonation cylinder expansion test after it had been naturally aged for over 46 years. Nitrocellulose is known to chemically degrade with age, but the corresponding effect on explosive performance is currently unknown. Two new cylinder tests were fielded with the oldest known PBX 9404 explosive (>46 years) and the data was compared with prior PBX 9404 cylinder test data. A method for comparing wall motion data collected by streak camera and laser interferometry diagnostics was also introduced. Analysis of the cylinder motion indicated that the aged explosive exhibits decreased performance, which varied with cylinder expansion radius and product specific volume. This energy decrement was found to be 0.8% of the total initial explosive energy per decade of age at a product volume of 7.0 cc/g. The measured energy decrement in explosives older than 37 years exceeds the chemical energy content of nitrocellulose, indicating that nitrocellulose decomposition radicals are likely degrading the normally stable HMX molecules during the aging process.

PBX 9404是一种具有HMX和硝化纤维反应性成分的浓缩相炸药，其爆炸性能经过自然老化46年以上后，通过爆震筒膨胀试验进行了评估。已知硝酸纤维素会随着年龄的增长而化学降解，但目前尚不清楚其对炸药性能的相应影响。使用最古老的已知PBX 9404炸药（> 46年）进行了两次新的气瓶测试，并将数据与先前的PBX 9404气瓶测试数据进行了比较。还介绍了一种比较条纹相机和激光干涉仪诊断程序收集的壁运动数据的方法。气缸运动分析表明，老化炸药的性能下降，随气缸膨胀半径和产品比容的变化而变化。发现该能量减量为0。产品体积为7.0 cc / g时，每十年的总初始爆炸能量的8％。超过37年的炸药中测得的能量衰减量超过了硝化纤维的化学能含量，这表明硝化纤维的分解自由基可能会在老化过程中降解通常稳定的HMX分子。