Contrasting Chemical Kinetic Parameters for Near In‐Service‐Temperature Aging and High‐Temperature Thermal Decomposition of Triaminotrinitrobenzene Formulations

ABSTRACT Triaminotrinitrobenzene‐based high explosives such as LX‐17 offer high energy density and exceptional safety, yet their long‐term aging behavior at low temperatures remains poorly understood. In this study, several legacy and new production lots of LX‐17 were subjected to accelerated aging experiments below 100°C, during which the formation rate of the initial degradation product, monofurazan (F1), was monitored. Kinetic analysis was performed using a sample‐age‐aware computational approach, yielding activation energy estimates of 82–91 kJ mol −1 for the low‐temperature initiation step—markedly lower than the ∼200 kJ mol −1 associated with high‐temperature thermal decomposition. Extrapolation from established cookoff models supports the conclusion that the dominant degradation mechanism at low temperatures differs from that at high temperatures. Our results provide a unified kinetic framework that bridges the gap between in‐service conditions and high‐temperature damage.