Sciencemadness Discussion Board

PETN and RDX doubts

Smoker Root - 12-6-2020 at 05:14

I have some doubts about it, I am sure they can be easily answered though.

1. The nitration of PETN can be done only with pure white nitric acid(however I heard that many people have problems getting the nitric acid pure or clean enough, but the sulfuric acid is better. Can anybody confirm this?) how can i clean fuming nitric acid? I know there are many talks in the subject, but what is the best? I see people use urea(also during the reaction to stabilize) store the nitric acid in sodium nitride, pass througj calcium chloride etc...

2.Has anybody have the document PETN.xls? If you know u know :)

3. In RDX synthesis it is widely used nitrating hexamine. However it is said the bachman proccess is better, has anybody seen why it is not used? Anybody can cite any paper?

4. How do I cast RDX? Darian Ballard sugest to use a hot water to melt the explosive and get it to a gel to solidify. I also heard that for RDX you do the same with PVP or glycol and also blend RDX carbonate and petn. However all of this methods have a downside, it comes from a Ledger book so I basically have no idea. Can someone help?

Thanks to all

mackolol - 13-6-2020 at 04:30

Quote: Originally posted by Smoker Root  

3. In RDX synthesis it is widely used nitrating hexamine. However it is said the bachman proccess is better, has anybody seen why it is not used? Anybody can cite any paper?
Thanks to all

Just compare the prices of required reagents and look for availability of acetic anhydride and you'll know why this isn't the preferred route.

Also if you use bachmann process it is better to just add some paraformaldehyde which is cheap and make HMX which is way more powerful.

Smoker Root - 13-6-2020 at 06:50

Quote: Originally posted by mackolol  
Quote: Originally posted by Smoker Root  

3. In RDX synthesis it is widely used nitrating hexamine. However it is said the bachman proccess is better, has anybody seen why it is not used? Anybody can cite any paper?
Thanks to all

Just compare the prices of required reagents and look for availability of acetic anhydride and you'll know why this isn't the preferred route.

Also if you use bachmann process it is better to just add some paraformaldehyde which is cheap and make HMX which is way more powerful.


Oh thank you. Can you cite a way of synthesising RDX from HDN.

mackolol - 13-6-2020 at 07:04

Quote: Originally posted by Smoker Root  

Oh thank you. Can you cite a way of synthesising RDX from HDN.

You do it the same way as with hexamine and RFNA, but substitute HDN for hexamine. It is said to require less RFNA than with hexamine freebase. This is all I know. Never have done this, haven't even thought about.
Here is a SM topic that might interest you: http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=250&am...

[Edited on 13-6-2020 by mackolol]

Microtek - 16-6-2020 at 02:26

Your questions reveal many fundamental errors in your understanding. You should read through some of the quite exhaustive threads on these subjects (nitration of pentaerythritol and other alcohols, nitrolysis of hexamine, production and purification of nitric acid).