Regularities of Spheroidization of HMX Extracted from Solid Propellant Disposal Products

Abstract

Nitramines of high quality for manufacturing high-energy composites, such as oсtogen (HMX) and hexogen, have received much attention by researchers worldwide. Mixed formulations containing fillers in the form of spheroidal dispersed particles of explosives are homogenized at lower energy consumption. They are characterized by stable rheological characteristics, which guarantee the quality of the products obtained on the basis thereof. Methods for obtaining spherical nitramine particles by means of ultrasonic and hydromechanical rounding using commercial HMX were evaluated. It was found that under similar conditions, rounding by the hydromechanical process in a vortex device is more efficient and less energy-consuming than that of the ultrasonic method. It was confirmed that spheroidization of commercial HMX in an aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) medium by hydromechanical rounding occurs due to erosion of crystals of large size (70 μm or more). Based on the experimental results with spheroidization of commercial nitramine, the mass fraction content below 50 μm versus time was plotted for hydromechanical rounding. The method of hydromechanical rounding in aqueous DMSO to obtain spheroidized HMX, extracted from solid propellant using DMSO, was found to be the most suitable. Spheroidized modified HMX with specific characteristics (density and crystals of near-spherical shape) was obtained, which could be used for the manufacture of high-energy composites.