(749f) Production of Submicron-Sized RDX Particles Using a Nucleation Agent

In order to prevent munitions related accidents, the insensitive high energetic materials to unplanned stimuli without decreases in military operational capability have been extensively investigated. One way to reduce sensitivity is submicronization of high energetic particles because critical temperature to ignite increases significantly by decreasing the size of internal defects. In general, when 30 ¢ªC saturation solution of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX)/acetone is quenched into water of 0 ¢ªC, vigorous nucleation is immediately induced. On the other hand, with addition of small amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, 0.01 wt%), it was found that nucleation of RDX did not occur because PVP acted as nucleation retarder. However, ultrasonic irradiation to this high supersaturated solution showed that extremely high nucleation rate was lead and submicron-sized RDX particles with very uniform crystal size distribution (average length of about 700 nm) were obtained with no agglomeration. Morphology of submicron-sized RDX particles were tetragonal pyramid consisting of eight {111} side faces.