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RDX and HMX with Reduced Sensitivity Towards Shock Initiation–RS‐RDX and RS‐HMX
Author(s) -
Hammer Johansen Øyvind,
Digre Kristiansen Jørn,
Gjersøe Richard,
Berg Alf,
Halvorsen Terje,
Smith KjellTore,
Nevstad Gunnar Ove
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.56
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1521-4087
pISSN - 0721-3115
DOI - 10.1002/prep.200800203
Subject(s) - explosive material , nitration , sensitivity (control systems) , materials science , shock (circulatory) , degradation (telecommunications) , curing (chemistry) , ageing , composite material , energetic material , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , computer science , medicine , telecommunications , electronic engineering , engineering , biology , genetics
Reduced Sensitivity RDX (RS‐RDX) has received a lot of attention and interest from the explosive community in the recent years. There are several producers of RS‐RDX, most of them using a direct nitration (Woolwich process) for the RDX synthesis, while Chemring Nobel uses the Bachmann process. The processes for obtaining the RS properties probably differ between the various producers. Chemring Nobel has also developed an HMX quality that shows Reduced Sensitivity (RS‐HMX) of different particle size distributions. The shock sensitivity is at the same level as for RS‐RDX in comparable compositions. Reduced shock sensitivity has been obtained for RS‐RDX and Reduced Sensitivity (RS‐HMX) in both pressable and cast‐cured compositions. By using a pressable composition, it is possible to get the results from a BICT gap test faster than from a cast‐cured composition that has to go through a curing process. Chemring Nobel in cooperation with FFI have performed an extensive accelerated ageing testing of RS‐RDX produced by the Bachmann process. The samples have been aged at 60 and 70 °C and the shock sensitivity tested by two different gap tests. The results demonstrate that the Chemring Nobel RS‐RDX retain the insensitivity towards shock during ageing and show no degradation at all. Accelerated ageing testing of RS‐HMX has also been performed and shows no degradation in the shock sensitivity.