Development and Manufacture of RDX Based an Insensitive Composition for Tetryl Replacement

Abstract

Tetryl is an extensively used as an explosive in leads and boosters of ordnance items. However, it has serious limitations like its greater tendency to explode when subjected to high temperatures like encountered in certain modern weapon environments. Its cook-off temperature is low having lesser output resulting in marginal initiation of the next charge besides being a skin irritant during handling. Due to these limitations it needs to be phased out. RDX has better cook-off characteristics than Tetryl. It is preferable explosive for use in ordnance subjected to temperatures approaching and exceeding the cook-off temperature of Tetryl. RDX also has a greater output so that an RDX lead or booster would be effective under circumstances in which a Tetryl lead or booster give marginal initiation of the next charge. An insensitive RDX based explosive composition (containing RDX, binder and small quantities of desensitizers) is needed to be developed. The binder improves spherical nature of shape of the RDX granules and holds the loaded component together with greater strength. Small percentage of graphite is added to increase the flow rate of the material and act as lubricant on the faces of the RDX particles and granules. The stearates act as dispersant for avoiding agglomeration of the particles of RDX and its granules during coating of RDX with binder during mixing process. It is manufactured through precipitation reaction between aqueous solutions so that it does not allow agglomeration of the granules of RDX to build up. Subsequent to the characterization of requisite ingredients, a laboratory scale method has been developed during this work. The method has been translated into a pilot plant version. The upshot of this work is the development of an RDX based insensitive composition for Tetryl conducted successfully.