Decomposition Products of RDX and TNT after Resonant Laser Excitation

This presentation describes research on the gas-phase products of decomposition of explosives after resonant laser excitation. We studied RDX, TNT, and formulations containing them after excitation by lasers in the infrared (10.6 4$\mu$m continuous-wave [CW]; resonant with ring vibrational modes) and ultraviolet (266 nm CW and pulsed [ca. 5 ns pulsewidth]; resonant with delocalized ring electronic absorptions). The decomposition products in air were identified by infrared spectroscopy and will be described as a function of laser wavelength and energy deposition timescale. Our results will be compared to decomposition pathways in the literature derived from resistive heating techniques.