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Author: Subject: RDX
SDM
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sad.gif posted on 15-9-2015 at 08:06
RDX


I am trying to synthesize RDX but my nitrated Hexamine turns to slimy goo during the H2O phase. This stuff is too thin to strain through a coffee filter and refuses to air dry. Heating it will evaporate most of the liquid, but I am left with just a bunch of thicker goo. Please help.
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Detonationology
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[*] posted on 15-9-2015 at 09:41


Was the temperature monitored? Is it possible that the reaction got above 25˚C?
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[*] posted on 15-9-2015 at 10:10


I mixed the Hexamine with the HNO3 on an ice bath and the temperature may have reached 28c but did not exceed 30c. Then I raised the temp to 60c for 10min. I cooled the solution to 16c before pouring it into my H2O.
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[*] posted on 15-9-2015 at 11:04


You may need to check this out?

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[*] posted on 15-9-2015 at 11:12


What did you acquire the hexamine from? Was it sold as hexamine, or solid camp fuel (Esbit)?
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[*] posted on 15-9-2015 at 18:14


I bought it from Skylighter, a fireworks supply company
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[*] posted on 15-9-2015 at 18:50


You could try nitrating the Hexamine with 60-70% Nitric acid to Hexamine dinitrate which is quite simple and then nitrating with high concentrated Nitric acid into the desired RDX.
I have heard the Hexamine dinitrate is quite hygroscopic but I never had much trouble although I stored it in a desiccator.
If you use high concentrated HNO3 for the RDX step, you should get a much higher yield than with just hexamine as well as it already has two of it's nitro groups.




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[*] posted on 22-9-2015 at 15:15


Thank you hissingnoise. I used your formula with the purest batch of white fuming I could make and presto! I have salts instead of goo.
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[*] posted on 5-10-2015 at 00:29


Hey greenlight, what formulas do you use for hexamine dinitrate and for nitrating it.
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[*] posted on 5-10-2015 at 02:28


This works really good for the Hexamine dinitrate as long as you have the nitric I used 62% HNO3 with it and it worked fine:

http://williestop.tripod.com/Highexplosivespictorials/HDN.ht...

For the actual RDX part I used 50 ml vacuum distilled 99% Nitric acid (density-1.51) and 25 grams HDN that had been dried in a desiccator.
The synth was from the old E & W forum, I don't remember what the posters name was but involved adding the HDN to the 99% Nitric acid @ 15-25 Degrees, leaving at room temperature for 15 minutes and then heating it to 55 Degrees and holding for 12.5 minutes before dumping into 800ml ice water. I ended up with 15.5- 16 grams.

Improved yields (I think 82%) where recorded by using 60 ml 99% HNO3 and some Ammonium nitrate as well. I have the notes on that as well if anyone is interested as I wrote some of the good stuff from the E & W forum down luckily as it got taken down not long after.

[Edited on 5-10-2015 by greenlight]




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[*] posted on 5-10-2015 at 13:04


Thanks again greenlight. Can you initiate HDN with HMTD?
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[*] posted on 5-10-2015 at 19:56


Yeah you probably can with a HMTD det but it's hygroscopic which would affect initiation depending on moisture content and it is a weak explosive anyway.
Much better to just use it as a raw material for RDX manufacture.




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[*] posted on 8-10-2015 at 08:50


OMG!!
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