Thermal-spectroscopic characterization of acetone peroxide and acetone peroxide mixtures with nitrocompounds

Triacetone triperoxide (TATP), also known as acetone peroxide, is a powerful homemade energetic compound, highly unstable and not detectable by traditional detection technologies. The calorimetric profiles of TATP mixtures with TNT, ammonium nitrate, and nitroguanidine were evaluated and compared to pure materials. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify possible interactions between mixture components that may arise on contact. Typical results show a shift of the TATP decomposition temperature to higher temperatures, as well as decomposition of the nitrocompound initiated by TATP decomposition. The vibrational spectra were used as spectroscopic signatures for these mixtures, which can be used to understand detection challenges and for the development of desensitization approaches.