Influence of Silicon Nitride Content on Explosive Performance of Bulk Emulsion Explosive

Silicon nitride, with high nitrogen content, was added to improve the explosive performance of bulk emulsion explosive. The influence of silicon nitride content on the air shock wave parameters, detonation velocity, and brisance was investigated by air blast experiments, detonation velocity tests, and lead column compression experiments. The results showed that: with the silicon nitride mass fraction increasing from 0% to 1.2%, the density of the explosive increased from 1.02 g/cm³ to 1.11 g/cm³, the air shock wave pressure peak increased from 0.1156 MPa to 0.2977 MPa and then decreased to 0.2408 MPa, with the maximum peak value being 2.58 times that of the minimum. The specific impulse increased from 9.22 Pa·s to 23.00 Pa·s and then decreased to 19.59 Pa·s, with the maximum specific impulse being 2.49 times that of the minimum value. The detonation velocity showed a trend of decreasing to 3265.66 m/s, then increasing to 4830.60 m/s, and finally decreasing to 4541.51 m/s, with the maximum detonation velocity being 1.48 times that of the minimum. The brisance increased from 13.86 mm to 19.40 mm and then decreased to 17.18 mm, with the maximum brisance being 1.40 times that of the minimum. From the experimental results, it can be concluded that silicon nitride can improve the explosive performance of bulk emulsion explosives, which is of reference significance for the optimal design of bulk emulsion explosives formulations.