Study on the Rheological Properties and Explosive Performance of a Novel Coal‐Based Slurry Site‐Mixed Emulsion Explosive

ABSTRACT

To expand the application scope of coal‐based materials and reduce the reliance of industrial explosives on conventional fossil fuels (diesel), this study replaces different proportions of diesel in site‐mixed emulsion explosives with a coal‐based slurry. The effects of the coal‐based slurry on the microstructure, particle size distribution, rheological properties, and explosive performance of the explosives were systematically investigated. The results indicate that the addition of the coal‐based slurry reduces the uniformity of the internal phase particle size distribution, widens the distribution range, and decreases the median particle size. Rheological analysis reveals that as the coal‐based slurry content increases, the matrix viscosity rises while its temperature sensitivity decreases. A coal‐based slurry content of 1% balances pumping viscosity requirements and operational safety. The emulsion matrix exhibits shear‐thinning behavior, and increasing the coal‐based slurry content expands the required shear rate range for pumping while enhancing the storage modulus, critical strain, and cohesion, thereby improving the structural stability of the matrix. Explosive performance tests show that at a coal‐based slurry content of 0.5%, the average detonation velocity reaches its maximum, while at 1% coal‐based slurry content, the brisance reaches its maximum. Detonation mechanism analysis demonstrates that the coal‐based slurry acts not only as a combustible participant in the explosion reaction but also undergoes slight gasification during the process. This study opens new avenues for the application of coal‐based materials and provides a viable strategy for reducing the dependency of industrial explosives on petroleum‐based materials.