Thermal and Kinetic Studies of Octahydro-1, 3, 5, 7-tetranitro-1, 3, 5, 7-tetrazocine (HMX)

Abstract

HMX is a very powerful secondary high explosive used in specific military munitions due to its exceptional high velocity of detonation and stability at high temperatures. It is produced as a white crytalline solid and commonly used as polymer bonded explosives filler. Research on thermal decomposition of Octogen has been under progress for quite many years. Since it’s a very powerful explosive used in shaped charges mainly and other important military applications. We carried out thermal and kinetic characterization of this explosive to study its thermal decomposition behavior as well as its kinetic parameters. We studied two different samples, a pure fresh one and a 15 years old HMX sample by using Diamond TGA/DTA thermal analyzer and FTIR. Thermal decomposition behavior and the kinetics of both the samples were studied and compared which was also found in line with the values of pure sample given in literature. This work is of exceptional nature since we could not find any such work done where two different sample of HMX were characterized by thermal analysis. The upshot of the present work is that, the HMX explosive is safe and reliable in high temperature climate storage conditions for long duration. The military munitions be used reliably which have been in storage for long.