Sensor-monitored impact sensitivity investigations on HMTD of different aging stages with accompanying PTR-TOF measurements of the substances

Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD) is a commonly used homemade explosive due to its simple synthesis and availability of reactants. However, its impact sensitivity may vary significantly depending on synthesis methods and possibly substance aging, presenting safety concerns during handling. In this study, two batches of HMTD, one stored for 3 months and one freshly synthesized, were investigated. Analytical techniques including Raman spectroscopy and PTR-ToF were utilized for the HMTD specimen. A custom-designed drop hammer based on OZM's Ball Impact Tester, equipped with optical and acoustic sensors, was employed to evaluate impact sensitivity and chemical reaction process. The setup was tested and validated with HMTD, TATP and lead azide and silver azide. Extracted features of sensor data were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis (LDA, PCA) to assess the impact of aging to impact sensitivity and reaction characteristics. The study aimed to determine the correlation between substance composition and reaction behavior. The results contribute to the understanding of the influence of aging on the response and mechanical sensitivity of HMTD as well as the batch-to-batch variation.