Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
To investigate the role of exothermicity on the properties of a chemically sustained shock waves, a series of two-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations was carried out in which the exothermicity was systematically varied. The simulations were based on a model diatomic system which has been previously shown to produce reasonable values for shock wave properties. A decrease of 33% in the amount of energy released in the reaction produced a significant decrease in detonation front velocity and an increase in the impact energy necessary to initiate a sustained shock wave. Redistribution of energy between the reaction products at constant total exothermicity had a much smaller effect on the properties of the detonation front.