Publications

Thermal decomposition of energetic materials. 5. Reaction processes of 1,3,5-trinitrohexahydro-s-triazine below Its melting point

Maharrey, Sean P.; Behrens, Richard

Through the use of simultaneous thermogravimetry modulated beam mass spectrometry, optical microscopy, hot-stage time-lapsed microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy measurements, the physical and chemical processes that control the thermal decomposition of 1,3,5-trinitrohexahydro-s-triazine (RDX) below its melting point (160-189°C) have been identified. Two gas-phase reactions of RDX are predominant during the early stages of an experiment. One involves the loss of HONO and HNO and leads to the formation of H 2O, NO, NO 2, and oxy-s-triazine (OST) or s-triazine. The other involves the reaction of NO with RDX to form NO 2 and 1-nitroso-3,5-dinitrohexahydro-s-triazine (ONDNTA), which subsequently decompose's to form a set of products of which CH 2O and N 2O are the most abundant. Products from the gas-phase RDX decomposition reactions, such as ONDNTA, deposit on the surface of the RDX particles and lead to the development of a new set of reaction pathways that occur on the surface of the RDX particles. The initial surface reactions occur on surfaces of those RDX particles in the sample that can accumulate the greatest amount of products from the gas-phase reactions. Initial surface reactions are characterized by the formation of islands of reactivity on the RDX surface and lead to the development of an orange-colored nonvolatile residue (NVR) film on the surface of the RDX particles. The NVR film is most likely formed via the decomposition of ONDNTA on the surface of the RDX particles. The NVR film is a nonstoichiometric and dynamic material, which reacts directly with RDX and ONDNTA, and is composed of remnants from RDX and ONDNTA molecules that have reacted with the NVR. Reactions involving the NVR become dominant during the later stage of the decomposition process. The NVR reacts with RDX to form ONDNTA via abstraction of an oxygen atom from an NO 2 group. ONDNTA may undergo rapid loss of N 2 and NO 2 with the remaining portion of the molecule being incorporated into the dynamic NVR. The dynamic NVR also decomposes and leads to the formation of H 2O, CH 2O, N 2O, NH 2CHO, (CH 3) 2NCHO, (CH 3) 2NNO, C 2H 2N 2O, and (CH 3) 3N or CH 3NCH 2CH 3. The competition between reaction of the dynamic NVR with RDX and its own thermal decomposition manifests itself in a rapid increase in the rate of evolution of the NVR decomposition products as the amount of RDX remaining in the sample nears depletion. The reactions between the NVR film and RDX on the surface of the RDX particles leads to a localized environment that creates a layer of molten RDX on the surface of the particles where reactions associated with the liquid-phase decomposition of RDX may occur. The combination of these reaction processes leads to an acceleration of the reaction rate in the later stage of the decomposition process and creates an apparent reaction rate behavior that has been referred to as autocatalytic in many previous studies of RDX decomposition. A reaction scheme summarizing the reaction pathways that contribute to the decomposition of RDX below its melting point is presented. © 2005 American Chemical Society.