Adhesion Forces Measurement of Explosives and Nanodiamonds

The goal of the present study is to give novel experimental insight into the interaction forces existing between materials of different nature (i. e. explosives, nanodiamonds). Evaluation of interaction – or adhesion – forces is of great importance in the field of composite elaboration and chemical detection, their intensity being an expression of the chemical affinity. An Atomic Force Microscope equipped with a Force Measurement module was used for investigation of some adhesion forces. Compared with reference raw silicon materials, the measured adhesion force was significantly higher when the materials of interest (explosives, nanodiamonds) were in contact with each other. The interaction between TNT and RDX explosives is particularly strong (300 nN). An adhesion force of 110 nN is measured when RDX is in contact with the surface of nanodiamonds. Their affinity and the sort of interaction will be discussed hereafter based on their molecular structure.