  We explore the response of the insensitive high explosive (IHE)
1,3,5-Triamino-2,4,6- trinitrobenzene (TATB) under detonation-induced shock
conditions using in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction in the 100 ns time scale
using either a conventional or a colliding detonation drive. In all of the
detonation experiments on various sizes and morphologies of TATB, we observe an
extended stability of the TATB triclinic crystal structure. As the detonation
front passes through the TATB, X-ray diffraction indicates a portion of the
TATB exhibits a compression up to 30+ GPa, followed subsequently by a pressure
release and continued decomposition over a few hundred nanoseconds. Likewise,
for colliding detonation-driven shock compression of single crystals of TATB, a
significant portion of the triclinic crystal structure appears to be stable up
to 60+ GPa. Conversely, in similar detonations of a LLM-105 PBX, X-ray
diffraction is simply indicative of decomposition without the apparent
compression and slow decomposition seen in TATB. The results indicate the
surprising resilience of TATB under these high-pressure, temperature and shock
conditions, providing a baseline for understanding the insensitivity of TATB
that is considered the industry standard for an insensitive high explosive. The
results also provide intriguing information for the extended reaction zone in
TATB, and the hot-spot mechanisms for initiating and propagating detonation in
this uniquely insensitive explosive.

Materials Science