Enhancement of explosive effect of thermobaric explosive by metal reactive material

Abstract Reactive materials have mechanical properties comparable to metal materials and also have the reaction‐release energy characteristics of energetic materials. The calorific value of reactive materials is even higher than that of explosives. They can react under high pressure/high temperature and release a large amount of chemical energy. Therefore, reactive materials have a wide range of potential applications in aviation and national defense fields. This study examines the energy release characteristics of the metal reactive material casing (MRMC) under thermobaric explosives and compares them to traditional steel casing. The test specimens had the same casing‐charge mass ratio and size, with the only difference being the casing material: reactive material (with reactive elements Zr and Al) and AISI 1020 steel. The physical and chemical properties of the reactive materials were tested and analyzed using ICP‐MS, oxygen bomb calorimeter, and SHPB. Through explosion tests, the characteristic parameters of explosion fireball and ground shock wave overpressure were measured. And the reactive fragments recovered from the experiment were subjected to XRD testing. The results show that MRMC can significantly increase the diameter, duration, and temperature of the explosion fireball compared to steel casing data. The maximum fireball diameter of the MRMC specimen increased by 31.9 %, while the duration before attenuation increased by 47.3 %. MRMC can increase the area ratio of high‐temperature areas (greater than 1300 °C) in the fireball. MRMC increases the overall temperature of the fireball, not just in specific local areas. Additionally, MRMC significantly enhances far‐field shock waves. At a scaled distance of 2.54, the peak overpressure and positive impulse of the MRMC specimen were 50 % and 52 % higher than those of the steel specimen, respectively. This study provides new insights into the application, design, and energy release research of MRMC.