Browsing by Author "Galante, Erick"

Now showing 1 - 14 of 14
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    Burning of DNAN-based explosive (428 mg) in a Laboratory-Scale open setup using a metal sieve to support the sample
    (Cranfield University, 2018-07-30 14:07) Galante, Erick; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Burning of 428 mg of DNAN-based Insensitive high explosive heated from beneath, in an open setup, on a metal sieve placed on metal tray within a laboratory.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    Decomposition of DNAN-based explosive (296 mg) in a Laboratory-Scale open setup
    (Cranfield University, 2018-07-30 14:07) Galante, Erick; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Thermo decomposition of 296mg of DNAN-based Insensitive high explosive heated from beneath, in an open setup, on a metal tray within a laboratory.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    DNAN behaviour during laboratory-scale explosiveness test
    (Cranfield University, 2018-03-19 08:49) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Video recorded during a laboratory-scaled explosiveness test, in which a 10mg sample of DNAN was heated (43ºC/min) within a sealed 10mL headspace vial
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    The effect of soil type on the extraction of insensitive high explosive constituents using four conventional methods
    (Elsevier, 2019-03-01) Temple, Tracey J.; Cipullo, S.; Galante, Erick; Ladyman, Melissa K.; Mai, Nathalie; Parry, T.
    Explosive contamination is commonly found at military and manufacturing sites (Hewitt et al., 2005; Clausen et al., 2004; Walsh et al., 2013). Under current environmental legislation the extent of the contamination must be characterized by soil sampling and subsequent separation of the explosive contaminants from the soil matrix by extraction to enable chemical analysis and quantification (Dean, 2009). It is essential that the extraction method can consistently recover explosive residue from a variety of soil types i.e. all materials that have not degraded or irreversibly bound to the matrix, so that any resultant risk is not underestimated. In this study, five different soil types with a range of organic content, particle size and pH, were spiked with a mixture of RDX, DNAN, NQ and NTO at 50 mg/kg and were extracted using one of four one-step extraction methods: stirring, shaking, sonication, and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). Analysis of the extraction efficiencies of the four methods found that they were broadly successful for the extraction of all IHE constituents from all five soils (an average of 84% ± 14% recovery across 80 extractions). However, soils with high organic content (Total Organic Content (TOC) ≥ 2%) were found to significantly affect extraction efficiency and reproducibility. NTO and DNAN were the least consistent in extraction efficiency with poorest recovery of NTO as low as 37% ± 2%. Of the four tested methods shaking was found to be the most reproducible, though less efficient than stirring (64%–91%). ASE was found to have the most variable results for extraction of IHE constituents suggesting that ASE was the most affected by the different soil types. Therefore, it is recommended that the efficiency and reproducibility of the selected extraction method should be validated by extracting known concentrations of the IHE from the soil of interest and that any required correction factors are reported.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    Erick Galante PhD
    (Cranfield University, 2018-09-13 09:14) Gill, Philip; Galante, Erick; Temple, Tracey
    New safety requirements are pressuring military organizations to replace TNT with insensitive high explosives (IHEs) containing DNAN, NTO and RDX but little is known about the behaviour IHE components and formulations in the environment. The environmental impact of ordnance during the in-service phase has been studied, but most reports concern TNT-based legacy explosives and their impact on soil rather than other environmental compartments. To address this knowledge gap, IHE samples ranging from milligrams in a closed system to grams and kilograms in an open system were tested in the laboratory and field, yielding environmental impact data that helps to determine the behaviour of the materials during open burning. The prediction software HYDRUS 1D was then fed with the empirical data and the actual and predicted outcomes for the behaviour of DNAN, NTO, RDX and the IHE formulation were compared to determine whether this software can be used to predict said impacts. The thermodynamic properties of DNAN make it more likely to melt, boil and sublimate during open burning, leaving ~70% behind as unreacted residues. DNAN also inhibits the burning of RDX and NTO, such the near zero residual mass when these are burned as pure compounds increases to ~20% of the initial mass when the formulation is burned. Overall, the experiments showed that DNAN-based IHEs behave in a similar manner to TNT based legacy explosives regarding emission of greenhouse gases, but worse in terms of solid residues. Ultimately, the body of work reported through this thesis has shown that traditional open burning of DNAN-based IHE could leave as much as 12 % (w/w) of unburnt explosive on the soil. We have concluded that the open burning methodology adopted for TNT legacy munitions should be avoided for disposing of IHEs.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    IHE1 behaviour during laboratory-scale explosiveness test
    (Cranfield University, 2018-03-15 13:50) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Video recorded during a laboratory-scaled explosiveness test, in which a 20mg sample of NTO, DNAN and RDX was heated (43ºC/min) within a sealed 10mL headspace vial
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Investigation into the environmental fate of the combined Insensitive High Explosive constituents 2, 4-dinitroanisole (DNAN), 1-nitroguanidine (NQ) and nitrotriazolone (NTO) in soil
    (Elsevier, 2018-01-12) Temple, Tracey J.; Ladyman, Melissa K.; Mai, Nathalie; Galante, Erick; Ricamora, M; Shirazi, R; Coulon, Frederic
    Contamination of military ranges by the use of explosives can lead to irreversible environmental damage, specifically to soil and groundwater. The fate and effects of traditional explosive residues are well understood, while less is known about the impact of Insensitive High Explosives (IHEs) that are currently being brought into military service. Current research has focussed on the investigation of individual constituents of IHE formulations, which may not be representative of real-world scenarios when explosive residues will be deposited together. Therefore, this study investigated the fate and transport of the combined IHE constituents 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN), 1-nitroguanidine (NQ) and 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) in two UK soil types. Static experiments ran for 9 weeks to determine the fate of the combined explosive constituents in soil by monitoring the rate of degradation. Transport was examined by running soil column experiments for 5 weeks, with a watering regime equivalent to the average yearly UK rainfall. Both static and soil column experiments confirmed that DNAN and NTO started to degrade within twenty-four hours in soil with high organic content, and were both completely degraded within sixty days. NQ was more stable, with 80% of the original material recovered after sixty days. The major degradation product of DNAN in the test soils was 2-amino-4-nitroanisole (2-ANAN), with trace amounts of 4-amino-2-nitroanisole. NTO was rapidly degraded in soil with high organic content, although no degradation products were identified. Results supported work from literature on the individual constituents DNAN, NQ and NTO suggesting that the three explosives in combination did not interact with each other when in soil. This study should provide a useful insight into the behaviour of three combined Insensitive High Explosive constituents for the predication of soil and water contamination during military training.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    NTO behaviour during laboratory-scale low confinement test
    (Cranfield University, 2018-03-15 13:50) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Video recorded during a laboratory-scaled explosiveness test, in which a 20mg sample of NTO was heated (43ºC/min) within a sealed 10mL headspace vial
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    PBX 110 behaviour during laboratory-scale explosiveness test
    (Cranfield University, 2018-03-15 13:50) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Video recorded during a laboratory-scaled explosiveness test, in which a 20mg sample of PBXN-110 was heated (43ºC/min) within a sealed 10mL headspace vial
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    PBX1 behaviour during laboratory-scale low confinement test
    (Cranfield University, 2018-03-15 13:50) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Video recorded during a laboratory-scaled explosiveness test, in which a 20mg sample of PBXN-111 was heated (43ºC/min) within a sealed 10mL headspace vial
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    PBX2 behaviour during laboratory-scale low confinement test
    (Cranfield University, 2018-03-15 13:50) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Video recorded during a laboratory-scaled explosiveness test, in which a 20mg sample of PBXN-109 was heated (43ºC/min) within a sealed 10mL headspace vial
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    RDX behaviour during laboratory-scale low confinement test
    (Cranfield University, 2018-03-15 13:53) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Video recorded during a laboratory-scaled explosiveness test, in which a 10mg sample of RDX was heated (43ºC/min) within a sealed 10mL headspace vial
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Simulation of transportation of 2,4-dinitroanilisole (DNAN); 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO); and nitro-guanidine (NQ) through soil using Hydrus 1D
    (Cranfield University, 2017-12-11 14:52) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Continuous training on military ranges with ammunition filled with TNT-based compositions has caused environmental contamination over decades. These ranges may now require remediation for range sustainability, which is expensive, time-consuming, and can compromise use. Due to increased environmental awareness society expects a preemptive approach for on-going management of military training ranges to minimize damage to the environment. Regarding TNT-based compositions it is possible to estimate likely contamination issues from historical data. However, TNT-based compositions are being replaced by new formulations designed to be less sensitive to accidental insult. A very promising alternative to TNT is 2,4-dinitroanilisole (DNAN), a melt-castable energetic material that has been successfully used as binding agent in some insensitive high explosive (IHE) formulation. For example, when combined with 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) and nitro-guanidine (NQ) in IMX-101. However, from an environmental point of view, the lack of historical data on how these materials impact the environmental might compromise training capability and disposal procedures in years to come. To contribute to this area of knowledge, we simulated the dispersion of chemicals through soil using Hydrus-1D, which is a modelling tool for analysis of water flow and solute transport. Primary data was generated by soil column experiments that were artificially spiked with Insensitive High Explosives materials DNAN; NTO; and NQ. The primary aim of the research was to determine whether Hydrus-1D, can be used to predict environmental contamination on military training ranges.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Ultra Low Cost, Explosiveness Test
    (Cranfield University, 2017-11-15 11:56) Galante, Erick; Mai, Nathalie; Ladyman, Melissa; Gill, Philip; Temple, Tracey
    Poster presented at the 2017 Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium.To investigate the emissions from open burning of explosives we have burnt explosives (10 mg) in a sealed glass vial (10 cm3). As the reaction occurred inside the glass vial, it could be captured on high speed camera allowing the observation combustion reaction. The profile of gaseous emissions was later determined via Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. The glass vials were placed into an aluminium block, which was heated with a gas flame until combustion was achieved. On average the heating cycle took 3-4 minutes before ignition of the explosive was observed.Interestingly, the combustion of 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) was very different to that observed for 3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) and 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN). RDX did not burn when heated as observed with NTO and DNAN. We observed that the RDX partly sublimed and then partly thermally decomposed in the gaseous phase. Then the partially decomposed RDX vapour underwent a violent burning reaction. This burn to violent reaction occurred in the gaseous phase at temperatures as low as 270 ºC.Ultimately, we understand that a similar setup could be used for assessing sensitiveness and safety aspects of new explosives formulations.