HMX is produced by the nitration of hexamine with ammonium nitrate and nitric acid in an acetic acid/acetic anhydride solvent at 44°C. The raw
materials are mixed in a two-step process and the product is purified by recrystallization.
Any safer way to make it?KonkreteRocketry - 9-2-2013 at 05:02
how about pure HMX ?kristofvagyok - 9-2-2013 at 11:16
For nitrating hexamine to HMX you will need to use strong nitrating agents, like in this case acetyl-nitrate. There is no "safe" way for making these
kind of high explosives, you will always need to use acids and potentially "dangerous" things.
But if you work carefully and you do not pour the reagents on your face or breathe in the fumes, then it's not a big deal.
P.S.: if you have never nitrated before, than I would suggest to start with an easier thing and not with acetyl-nitrate made HMX.APO - 9-2-2013 at 20:32
Can I buy it anyware?barley81 - 9-2-2013 at 21:27
Only if you're in the military and authorized to do so. You can also obtain it if you're doing research at a respectable organization that involves
HMX. Any other way will lead to jail for sure. Don't muck around with this stuff.AndersHoveland - 9-2-2013 at 23:41
Times were different many decades ago. One of my older chemistry professors told us a story about how when he first went to university many years ago
one of the laboratory procedures in his first year chemistry class was making TNT. This would have been in the 1950's.jock88 - 10-2-2013 at 06:49
.... that involves HMX. Any other way will lead to jail for sure.....
Why do you specifically say ' go to jail' in relation to HMX.
Lots of people (at least appear to be) are making small quantities of this and that here and no one suggests that they will 'go to jail for sure'.
Is HMX specifically frowned upon by big brother or was it just an off the cuf remark?
[Edited on 10-2-2013 by jock88]barley81 - 10-2-2013 at 12:30
He asked where he could buy it, which is distinct from making it. You may not go to jail for synthesizing small amounts secretly, but you will
probably be reported to the Feds if you attempt to buy it from Sigma or someplace without a proper license (suspected of being a terrorist)...jock88 - 10-2-2013 at 15:06
Can I buy it!!!!!!!! LOL
Sorry I did not see that.APO - 10-2-2013 at 20:06
Anyway, could I heat sodium bisulfate,ammonium nitrate,sodium acetate, and hexamine in certain amounts to produce nitric acid,sulfuric acid,and acetic
acid in the flask while refluxing to make HMX?
It seems possible, but unsafe.kristofvagyok - 11-2-2013 at 00:00
Acetyl nitrate decomposes over 60-70, so if you are not enough careful than you could easily explode. And also acetic anhydride is needed to produce
it, it won't form in high percent from acetic acid and HNO3.APO - 11-2-2013 at 11:15
Well, could I distill over fuming nitric acid straight onto some acetic anyhydride, glacial acetic acid, ammonium nitrate, and hexamine?
I think that has a higher probability of working, I just need stoichiometric amounts, anyone know the proper amounts for this nitration?kristofvagyok - 11-2-2013 at 12:32
Well, could I distill over fuming nitric acid straight onto some acetic anyhydride, glacial acetic acid, ammonium nitrate, and hexamine?
Why would you need ammonium-nitrate is you've got fuming HNO3? I don't get it.
For the recipe use the search engine and if any mods. are reading this, than I would suggest to place this thead to the beginners or the explosives
section.APO - 11-2-2013 at 16:40
Anyways, anyone know the right amounts for this reaction?hissingnoise - 14-2-2013 at 06:36
~350cc of strong, white HNO3 will nitrolyse ~50gm of hexamine . . .
Hexamine is added portion-wise over ~30 minutes!
Temperature should not exceed ~30°C!
The reaction mix is allowed stand for some minutes and drowned to precipitate the product!
