ニトログリセリンの爆発化学

The detonation of nitroglycerin is a supersonic decomposition process that propagates through the material via a shock wave. The velocity of detonation (VoD) for liquid nitroglycerin is approximately 7,700 meters per second. The extreme speed of the reaction is due to its molecular structure; the fuel (the C-H backbone) and the oxidizer (the nitrate groups) are held in intimate contact within the same molecule. When initiated by a sufficient shock, the molecule essentially tears itself apart. The energy released, about 1.5 MJ per mole (6.3 MJ/kg), rapidly heats the resulting gases to temperatures around 5,000 °C. According to the ideal gas law, this high temperature and the conversion of a small volume of liquid into a large volume of gas (one mole of liquid NG produces 7.25 moles of gas) creates immense pressure, on the order of 20 GPa. This rapid pressure rise is what generates the powerful shockwave responsible for the explosive’s destructive effect. The presence of excess oxygen in the products is unusual for many organic explosives and contributes to the high temperature and efficiency of the detonation.