The influence of crystal defects on the initiation of crystalline nitramine explosives

It is well understood that internal defects within crystalline explosives can promote the formation of hot-spots under shock loading, thereby sensitising them to impact. Conversely, defect-free crystalline explosives are much less sensitive to initiation. The threshold quantity of different types of defect, and their influence on initiation is much less well understood. This PhD opportunity will investigate non-destructive analysis to characterise crystalline defect, and relate these to initiation by explosively-generated shock waves.