Abstract: Mixtures of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the nitramines cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) and cyclotetramethylenetetranitra-mine (HMX) are used in a variety of high-explosive formulations, such as Composition B (RDX/TNT) or Octol (HMX/TNT). There has been much recent interest in the use of supercritical fluid (SF) CO2 technologies for the processing and/or demilitarization of energetic materials. The solubility of RDX in neat CO2 was measured over a temperature and pressure range of 303-353 K (30 deg - 80 deg C) and 6.9-48.3 MPa (1,000-7,000 lb/sq in) and is presented in this report. RDX was found to be relatively insoluble in neat CO2 in the temperature and pressure range studied, with a maximum solubility of about 0.25mg/g of CO2. Data for TNT solubility in CO2 have recently been published by a group of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institut fur Chemische Technologie. Consideration of the relative solubilities of RDX and TNT in CO2 suggests that SF extraction (SFE) of TNT should be effective for separation and recovery of nitramine materials from TNT- based energetic formulations. RDX is found to be 2-3 orders of magnitude less soluble than TNT in SF CO2. An SFE-based separation process is demonstrated on a synthetic mixture of RDX and TNT powders.
| Limitations: |
 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE |
| Description: |
Final rept. Sep 95-Mar 96 |
| Pages: |
42 |
| Report Date: |
APR 97 |
| Report Number: |
A710723 |
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