Abstract: In order to reveal the detonation properties of 2,4-dinitroanisole（DNAN）-based melt-cast explosives and promote the application of this kind of explosives, a computer code is used to calculate the detonation properties of three DNAN-based melt-cast explosives. A series of experiments are carried out to characterize the properties of the DNAN-based explosive (DNAN 20/HMX 80) and Octol. Electrometric method is used to test the detonation velocities and pressures of the two explosives. Explosive probability method is used to test the mechanical sensitivities of the two explosives. Laser interferometer velocimetry (VISAR) is used to test the free surface of copper bar drived by the detonation products. The results show that the detonation properties (detonation velocity is 8 436 m/s and pressure is 31.23 GPa) of DNAN-based explosive (DNAN 20/HMX 80) are better than those of Octol. The mechanical sensitivity of DNAN-based explosive (impact sensitivity is 33% and friction sensitivity is 57%) is lower than that of Octol. The speed of the copper bar drived by the detonation products is 3 045 m/s. The comprehensive performance of DNAN-based explosive (DNAN20/HMX80) is better than that of Octol. The DNAN-based explosive could replace Octol for air defense warhead, antimissile warhead, and large-caliber EFP warhead.

Key words: ordnance science and technoogy, 2,4-dinitroanisole, Fortran BKW, electrometric method, laser interferometer velocimetry