Reliable prediction of electric spark sensitivity of nitramines: a general correlation with detonation pressure.

For nitramines, a general correlation has been introduced to predict electric spark sensitivity through detonation pressure. New method uses maximum obtainable detonation pressure as a fundamental relation so that it can be corrected for some nitramines which have some specific molecular structure. There is no need to use crystal density and heat of formation of nitramine explosives for predicting detonation pressure and electric spark sensitivity. The predicted electric spark sensitivities are compared with calculated results on the basis of quantum mechanical computations for some nitramines that latter can be applied. The root mean square (rms) deviations from experiment for new method and the predicted results of complicated quantum mechanical method are 1.18 and 3.49J, respectively.