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Applied Chemistry and Physics
Published in Robert A. Burke, Applied Chemistry and Physics, 2020
RDX, N(NO2)CH2N(NO2)CH2N(NO2)CH2, cyclonite, is a high explosive, easily initiated by mercury fulminate and toxic by inhalation and skin contact. The TLV is 1.5 g/m4 of air. Explosive, which is 1.5 times as powerful as TNT, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive that was more powerful than TNT, and it saw its wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite. Its chemical name is cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine; name variants include cyclotrimethylene trinitramine and cyclotrimethylene trinitramine. In its pure, synthesized state, RDX is a white, crystalline solid. It is often used in mixtures with other explosives and plasticizers, phlegmatizers or desensitizers. RDX is stable in storage and is considered one of the most powerful and brisant of the military high explosives (Hazardous Materials Chemistry for Emergency Responders).
Sustainable High Explosives Development
Published in Mark J. Mezger, Kay J. Tindle, Michelle Pantoya, Lori J. Groven, Dilhan M. Kalyon, Energetic Materials, 2017
Noah Lieb, Neha Mehta, Karl D. Oyler, Kimberly Yearick Spangler
Relatively high acute oral doses of RDX are known to cause seizures in humans and can cause seizures in animals from low-level chronic oral exposure.1,15 The effects of long-term, low-level exposure to humans are unknown, although the EPA has determined RDX to be a suggestive human carcinogen.1,16 In terms of environmental transport, RDX can enter groundwater through a low affinity to organic carbon and limited water solubility (its solubility in water at 20°C is between 38 and 60 mg/L),1 which suggests a moderate to high soil mobility in combination with a very slow biodegradation process. The current EPA lifetime drinking water health advisory for RDX in potable water is 2 µg/L.17 Studies have also indicated adverse effects to other wildlife at relatively high oral exposures (e.g., birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates).18 Studies conducted in plants suggest that RDX may bioaccumulate in plants and fruits to roughly equivalent levels in the plant’s evapotransportation rate.1 The EPA is developing a revised Integrated Risk Information System Toxicological Review of RDX and released a public comment draft in March 2016 for review. There is a very tangible impact to continued training with RDX and lead-based munitions. In addition to range cleanup and remediation requirements, in 1997, the EPA restricted all live fire training at Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) through Administrative Order SDWA 1-97-1030 (AO2) due to contamination (e.g., measurable RDX, lead, perchlorates) of the Cape Cod Aquifer from Army operations.19 As of 2016, very limited training has been reinstated at MMR.
Explosive terrorism characteristics of explosives and explosions
Published in Robert A. Burke, Counter-Terrorism for Emergency Responders, 2017
Nitroamine is a powerful explosive 1.5 times as powerful as TNT. It is widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite. Its chemical name is cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine; name variants include cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine and cyclotrimethylene trinitramine. In its pure, synthesized state RDX is a white, crystalline solid. It is often used in mixtures with other explosives and plasticizers, phlegmatizers, or desensitizers. RDX is stable in storage and considered one of the most powerful and brisant of the military high explosives.
Ignition and Combustion Characteristics of Al/RDX/NC Nanostructured Microparticles
Published in Combustion Science and Technology, 2021
Gregory Young, Daniel P. Wilson, Michael Kessler, Jeffery B. DeLisio, Michael R. Zachariah
This study investigates the ignition properties of nanocomposite structures of nanoaluminum, 1,3,5-trinitrohexahydro-s-triazine (RDX), and nitrocellulose (NC) formed by the electrospray technique. Aluminum is a common supplement to propellants and enhanced blast explosives due to its ability to enhance performance. Similarly, RDX is a common energetic ingredient in propellants and explosives. For the purposes of this study, NC is used as an energetic binder to create the composite structures. The composite structures studied here offer an opportunity to evaluate synergistic effects that might offer pathways to new propellant and explosive formulations.
Acceleration of the thermal decomposition of RDX in microdroplets investigated by aerodynamic thermal breakup droplet ionization mass spectrometry
Published in Aerosol Science and Technology, 2020
Viktor V. Pervukhin, Dmitriy G. Sheven
Hexogen (RDX, 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane) is an explosive that is widely used both for military and civilian purposes (for example, its derivatives are important components of various solid fuels). Although RDX is quite stable during storage (Sisco et al. 2017), it is toxic and carcinogenic (Robidoux et al. 2000; White and Claxton 2004), thus, the widespread use of the RDX results in the pollution of the soil and groundwater (Astratov et al. 1997; Beller and Tiemeier 2002). Considering the above-mentioned circumstances, the effective methods for RDX detection are needed. In particular, many works are focused on the decomposition of RDX as well as RDX based explosive mixtures in the environment or during the application (Sisco et al. 2015; Liebman et al. 1987; Snyder et al. 1989; Miller and Garroway 2001; Xiao et al. 2018; Yan et al. 2019). Thus, the possibility to accelerate RDX degradation of RDX (investigated in this work) is in great importance considering the problem of environment pollution. Mass spectrometry (MS) is the preferred analytical method for characterization since it is highly selective. In MS analysis, various methods of ionization can be used, such as electrospray ionization (ESI-MS) (DeTata, Collins, and McKinley 2013; Berset et al. 2008), chemical atmospheric pressure ionization (APCI) (Ewing, Atkinson, and Clowers 2013) or Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) technique (Sisco, Dake, and Bridge 2013; Bridoux et al. 2016). However, the RDX ionization at ambient pressure gives rather complex mass spectra with several RDX related ions. Also, under the same conditions, the relative ion content varies significantly depending on the impurities, the contamination of the system, and the concentration of the analyte (for example, in the liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry experiments LC/MS) (Gapeev, Sigman, and Yinon 2003).