A research group at the University of Hyderabad‘s School of Physics, led by Koalla Rajesh and senior professor Anil Kumar Chaudhary, has introduced a safer and more effective technique for characterizing highly sensitive explosives. Traditional methods for analyzing these high-energy materials, especially primary explosives, are challenging due to significant handling risks and the difficulty of preparing pure pellets without causing accidental detonation from shock, grinding, or compression.
To address these safety concerns, the researchers devised a method involving the creation of composite pellets. This was achieved by mixing the explosives with a low-absorption binding matrix, enabling secure pellet preparation. Subsequently, using Effective Medium Theory (EMT) models, the team successfully extracted the intrinsic optical and dielectric properties of the pure explosives from these composite samples. This development is described as a crucial advancement for the practical application of these materials. The findings of this research have been published in the peer-reviewed journal ‘Infrared Physics & Technology’.
Source: www.thehindu.com