A Solubility Comparison of Cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX) and Potential Mock-HMX Candidates in Solvents Relevant to Slurry Formulating Polymer-Bonded Materials

Understanding solubility behavior of organic crystalline materials is critical in the development of slurry-formulated plastic bonded composites. In the field of high explosives (HE), a common method for obtaining high density, greater than 95% theoretical maximum density, is to encapsulate HE in a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of solution chemistry 2020-08, Vol.49 (7-8), p.875-884
Main Authors: Bowden, Patrick R., Shorty, Marvin, Yeager, John D., Duque, Amanda L., Freye, Chris E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemistry
Chemistry and Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine
Density
Ethyl acetate
Geochemistry
HMX
Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering
Inorganic Chemistry
INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Mock HE
Oceanography
PBX (explosives)
Physical Chemistry
Polymer matrix composites
Slurries
Solubility
Solvents
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Summary:Understanding solubility behavior of organic crystalline materials is critical in the development of slurry-formulated plastic bonded composites. In the field of high explosives (HE), a common method for obtaining high density, greater than 95% theoretical maximum density, is to encapsulate HE in a polymer matrix resulting in the formation of plastic bonded explosive (PBX) prills which can then be pressed to high density parts. Prill formation is highly nuanced and requires understanding of particle size distributions, solvent, antisolvent, and binder system as well as interactions thereof. In an effort to create mock-HE that mimics HE in density and mechanical strength, solubility of candidate molecules was compared to cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX) in binder solvents relevant to prill formation. The results indicate that the mock candidates chosen for this study have different solubilities compared to HMX in water and both organic solvents, 2-butanone and ethyl acetate, investigated. With these solubility differences known, prills to match PBXs based on HMX can be formulated, pressed and tested.
ISSN:0095-9782
1572-8927
DOI:10.1007/s10953-020-00980-6