The ingredients and more significant properties of each explosive are tabulated and briefly discussed. Green primary explosives have gained wide attention for environmental protection. It seems trivial to put that information in the article. It is a white solid without smell or taste, widely used as an explosive. The name rdx stands for research department explosive. Rdx is believed to have been used in many bomb plots, including terrorist plots. The mechanism for this reaction is very complicated. Chemically, it is hexahydro1,3,5trinitro1,3,5triazine. Reaction mechanism of 1,3,5trinitrostriazine rdx deciphered by density functional theory. This nitrolysis reaction also produces methylene dinitrate not to be confused. A common example is composite b3 which is made up of a 6436 mixture of rdx c 3 h 6 n 6 o 6 and tnt. Identification of the substancemixture and of the companyundertaking date issued 06.
The velocity of detonation of rdx at a density of 1. A new method of preparing the high explosive rdx journal of. Explosive thermal decomposition mechanism of rdx the. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the secret history of rdx. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the analytical methods that are available for detecting, measuring, andor monitoring rdx, its metabolites, and other biomarkers of exposure and effect to rdx. Rdx was produced in enormous quantities at the government ownedcontractor operated. A potential novel leadfree primary explosive, alfe2o3rdx hybrid nanocomposite was prepared by ultrasonic mixing, and its safety properties are discussed in detail. With few exceptions, denser explosives give higher detonation velocities and pressures. Part of the nato asi series book series asic, volume 309. Rdx was used in one of the first plastic explosives. It is a member of the nitramine class of organic nitrate explosives.
Rdx is also known as cyclonite, hexogen particularly in german and germaninfluenced languages, and t4. Rdx or research department explosive, also dubbed torpex, was surprisingly stable yet twice as powerful as tnt. H6 is a binary explosive that is a mixture of rdx, tnt, powered aluminum, and d2 wax with calcium chloride added. In the bachmann process, used in the united states, hexamine is reacted with. The journal of physical chemistry b 2007, 111 37, 1089710904. The potential contribution of microbial rdx degradation to. Its chemical name is cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine. Available in all standard grain sizes, specific grades can also be manufactured on request. Theory of explosives in general, an explosive has four basic characteristics. Trace detection of rdx, hmx and petn explosives using a. It is not known whether rdx causes birth defects in humans. The average volume of rdx produced from 1969 to 1971 was 15 million pounds per month. A more energetic explosive than tnt, it was used widely in world war ii and remains common in military applications it is often used in mixtures with other explosives and plasticizers or. Rdx, abbreviation of research department explosive or royal demolition explosive, formally cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, also called cyclonite, hexogen, or t 4, powerful explosive, discovered by georg friedrich henning of germany and patented in 1898 but not used until world war ii, when most of the warring powers introduced it.
As a military explosive, rdx can be used alone as a base charge for detonators or mixed with another explosive such as tnt to form cyclotols, which. However, production of rdx decreased to a yearly total of 16 million pounds for 1984. Synthesis of rdx by nitrolysis of hexamethylenetetramine in. It was synthesized as an explosive more influential than tnt, and it was broadly used in world war ii. Rdx is a hard, white crystalline solid, insoluble in water and only slightly soluble in some other solvents. Baxter during the early years of world war ii, american ships crossing the atlantic with oil and supplies were virtually defenseless against german uboats. Rdx is an organic compound with the formula o 2 nnch 2 3. A new method of preparing the high explosive rdx journal of the. Holds a license for the manufacture of explosives, i strongly recommend that you do.
This is the most frequently used explosive and it is prepared by the reaction of toluene c6h5 ch3 and conc. Fairly common materials always seem to have awsome effects on explosives in the average cookbook. Major manufacturing of rdx began in the united states in 1943 during world war ii. Rdx rdx cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine is second in strength to. Navys naval facilities engineering command to evaluate a plume of rdx royal demolition explosive contamination, and to assess the potential for the natural attenuation of rdx at the naval submarine base nsb bangor, washington. Full blast how the highexplosive known as rdx helped. Rdx biodegradation assessment toxics program remediation. Synthesis of rdx by nitrolysis of hexamethylenetetramine. The super explosive that helped win world war ii colin f. A veritable mountain of difficulties stood in the way. Over the last years the decomposition pathways of this compound have been the focus. For example, semtex is a blend of cyclomethylenetrinitramine rdx and petn. Explosive, any substance or device that can be made to produce a volume of rapidly expanding gas in an extremely brief period.
It is often mixed with other substances to decrease its sensitivity. Among the most powerful of conventional explosives in general use, rdx, short for royal demolition explosive or research department explosive, is also known as hexogen or cyclonite. Gasphase reactions for selective detection of the explosives tnt. Rdx is a nitramine explosive compound turley and brewster 1987 that can be utilized as a propellant, gunpowder, or high explosive depending on the initiation type boileau et al. Rdx is an organic compound with the formula o2nnch23. The intent is not to provide an exhaustive list of analytical methods. Nomenclature variants include cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine and cyclotrimethylene trinitramine. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid cf 3 cf 2 7 so 3 h, pfos catalyses the highly efficient nitrolysis of hexamethylenetetramine in fluorous media, affording high yield of explosive rdx. Rdx became a mainstay in military explosives, almost as much as tnt had been before it. Alow explosive material,suchasgunpowder,smokelesspowderorfireworks,burnsmuch slower. Rdx is a nitramine produced mainly for use in explosives hsdb 2009.
Alowexplosivematerial,suchasgunpowder,smokelesspowderorfireworks,burnsmuch slower. Over the last years the decomposition pathways of this compound have been the focus of both experimental and computational studies. No one knew how much fissionable material had to be put together to support an explosive chain reaction, but it was known that the reaction could not occur if the amountwere insufficient. Rdx produced by the bachmann process usually contains about 812% hmx as an acceptable byproduct army 1984a, 1989. Rdx contamination at cleanup sites or in drinking water supplies. It is only after contact with the atmospheric oxygen that can allow complete combustion to occur. Richard ryan from ratedrr demonstrates the power of rdx and gives a bit of background information on its relation to tnt. Is knowledgeable about how to keep the reaction under control, 3. Rdx was used with tnt to fill bombs and shells during the second world war by both sides in order to create more powerful weapons. C ratio, both of which indicate its explosive potential for formation of n 2 and co 2. Irdx, which brings a significant advantage by reducing shock sensitivity level of rdxbased compositions. The possible bimolecular reactions between pyrolysis products and hmx are also presented.
It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than tnt, and it saw wide use in world war ii. Density is an important consideration when choosing an explosive. Is equipped to and capable of handling strong, dangerous acids, 2. Used in a wide range of compositions, rdx represents the best solution for both performance and cost. Rdx is produced at military arsenals and is used as an explosive in military munitions and plastic explosives. In the conventional process for making rdx, hexamethylenetetramine is treated with 98100% nitric acid in the presence or absence of ammonium nitrate nh 4 no. To prevent the enemy from learning about the new explosive, shipments of it were labeled as golf balls. A general theory of explosives is that the detonation of the explosives charge. Rdx, like tnt, does not have enough oxygen in its molecular formula to completely oxidise everything during an explosion. Rdx undergoes a deflagration to detonation transition ddt in confinement and certain circumstances. Rdx, also known as royal demolition explosive, cyclonite, hexogen and t4, is a synthetic product that does not occur naturally in the environment and belongs to a class of compounds known as explosive nitramines atsdr 2012. This was a code name for the explosive known in the u. How to make semtex semtex is a powerful explosive that is widely used by terrorists.
In one study, rdx caused liver tumors in mice that were exposed to it in the food. Available in all standard grain sizes, rdx is used in a variety of military applications. Shock waveinduced phase transition in rdx single crystals. Eventually, it would be used to blast through the hulls of hitlers uboats, blow gaping holes in enemy dams in the ruhr valley and knock out bridges, railroad tracks and power stations across nazioccupied europe pioneered by chemists in germany in the late 19 th century. Chemical explosives federation of american scientists. Explosive thermal decomposition mechanism of rdx the journal. Rdx is a manmade chemical not occurring naturally in the environment. Highly selective gasphase reactions with ethyl vinyl ether eve of major electron ei and chemical ionization ci fragment ions of the explosives tnt and. Relatively safe and inexpensive to manufacture, rdx was produced. Rdx, named hexahydro1,3,5trinitro1,3,5triazine or cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, a high explosive energetic material, plays an important role in defence industry in many countries. A high explosive is any chemical mixture that detonates with a reaction velocity over 5000. The sensor reaction of dcm was first characterized in molecular solution, as shown in fig.
H6 is an australian produced explosive composition used by the military for. And the techs tell us it will neutralize the rdx, without tipping off the explosive chick. Results showed that their sensitivity and safety properties were a function of the specific surface area and proportions of their ingredients. K as cyclonite, in germany and russia as hexogen, and in italy as t4. Rdx was patented in 1898 by the german chemist georg friederich henning. The superexplosive that helped win world war ii kindle edition by baxter, colin f download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Analytical methods toxicological profile for rdx ncbi. Eurenco also produces a unique quality of insensitive rdx. The safety properties of a potential kind of novel. If the reaction proceeds slowly, the released energy will be dissipated and there will be few noticeable effects other than an increase in temperature. Some explosives are mixtures of chemicals that do not react and are known as composites. Product identifier product name rdx chemical name cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine reach reg no. Production, importexport, use, and disposal toxicological.
For many warheads that energy is stored in the form of chemical explosives. Explosive reactions there are many chemical reactions that will release energy. Sensitive to percussion, its principal nonmilitary use is in blasting caps. Risk assessment for hexamine nitration into rdx scielo. Rdx, a cyclic nitramine, releases a large amount of energy upon bulk decomposition, making this compound an important ingredient for various propellants and explosive materials. Effect of the alo ratio on the al reaction of aluminized. A mechanical explosive is one that depends on a physical reaction, such as overloading a container with compressed air.
A new method of preparing the high explosive rdx journal. Tnt is an example of a relatively powerful explosive that is oxygen deficient. Rdx, known as research department explosive, is a nitramine type explosive so long extensively employed in army and industrial applications. Information regarding the chemical identity of rdx is located in table 41. Rather, the intention is to identify wellestablished methods that are used as the standard methods of analysis. By july 1943 a kingsport, tennessee, plant was manufacturing 170 tons of it per day. Sure it does inrease ob, but its a popular but false assumption that increasing the ob increases the vod. Richard ryan from ratedrr demonstrates the power of rdx and gives a.
Behind thirtyeight miles of fencing, thousands of men and women synthesized 23,000 tons of rdx each month. British chemists toiled with a tripodshaped bond of nitrogen and oxygen molecules linked by carbon and hydrogen they referred to as research department explosive a substance one and. For free running explosives, the density is often specified as the pounds of explosives per foot of charge length in a given size borehole. After rdx detonation, gas products of rdx and metallic substances in mixed explosives are heated to the same temperature. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess. Rdx is vital in the formulations of many wellknown military explosives such as composition a, b and c, ch6, torpex and particularly plastic bonded explosive pbx.
Pax41 was designed as a replacement for cyclotol, a more brisant mix of rdx and tnt than composition b cyclotol has 65% to 85% rdx. Production of rdx peaked in the 1960s when it was ranked third in explosive production by volume in the united states u. Megalomanias method of making rdx rdx melting point 205 c boiling point rdx molecular mass 222. When this product is exposed to temperature 190f for time 1 hour, coreload pullbackbraid shrinkage can occur i. Effect of the alo ratio on the al reaction of aluminized rdx. Rdx is believed to have been used in many bomb plots including terrorist plots. Structurally modified rdx a dft study sciencedirect. Rdx, an initialism for research department explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. Rdx was widely used during world war ii, often in explosive mixtures with tnt such as torpex, composition b, cyclotols, and h6. Like rdx, the compounds name is the subject of much speculation, having been variously listed as high melting explosive, her majestys explosive, highvelocity military explosive, or highmolecularweight rdx. Production of rdx peaked in the 1960s when it was ranked third in explosive. Rdx is the base for a number of common military explosives.
Hmx, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to rdx. Desensitization of explosives reduction of their sensitivity is a hot research topic in military area. It is a mix of rdx, dnan, and another insensitive explosive, nmethyl4nitroaniline, called mna. It is used in applications such as cast pbx charges for insensitive munitions. It is more important to include the chemical equation that signifies exploding rdx a chemical reaction. In recent years it has been discovered that a form of the high explosive rdx exists which is identical to conventional rdx grades, with the exception that it is significantly less sensitive to shock stimuli in castcured polymer bonded explosives. Data are summarized from various handbooks, textbooks, and manufacturers technical data sheets. Rdx royal demolition explosive, hexahydro1,3,5trinitro1,3,5triazine description rdx concentrations, redox conditions, and hco3 concentrations in the shallow aquifer at site a, operable unit 1, nsb bangor during may 2002. The reaction can be carried out at room temperature in the absence of acetic anhydride and produces smaller amounts of waste acid and nitrate than in traditional process. Hmx is currently produced at only one facility in the united states, the holston army ammunition plant in kingsport.
Eurenco produces rdx by the woolwich or bachmann process. Iupac nomenclature is a system of naming chemical compounds and of describing the science of chemistry in general. Instability is a major characteristic of explosives, which undergo reaction. Sciencemadness discussion board rdx e method powered. Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, also known as rdx, cyclonite, hexogen, and t4, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. The yield of hmx is about 5560%, with rdx as an impurity. Dec 18, 2017 the explosive compound rdx helped make america a superpower. It is used as an explosive and is also used in combination with other ingredients in explosives. Explosive, royal demolition explosive or royal dutch explosive. Chemically, it is classified as a nitramide, chemically similar to hmx. The three explosives used, rdx, hmx and petn, are white.
Rdx can be used alone or with other explosives, including petn. Such a device has some application in mining, where the release of gas from. I t was a secret wartime project, with a code name and an urgent mission. A more energetic explosive than tnt, it was used widely in world war ii and. The three explosives used, rdx, hmx and petn, are white crystalline powders and their acetonitrile solutions are transparent to visible light, absorbing mainly in the middle ultraviolet muv. Rdx is used as an explosive and is also used in combination with other ingredients in explosives. Granular explosive consisting of rdx and plasticizing wax, such as composition a3 91% rdx coated with 9% wax and composition a5 98. The false information about rdx the typical kewl scientific language the wrong vod for rdx at the end the bit about ammoniumnitrate.