Reduced sensitivity RDX obtained from Bachmann RDX

In recent years much interest has been generated in a quality of reduced sensitivity RDX (RS-RDX), like I-RDX(R) which, when incorporated in cast cure and even pressable plastic bonded explosives (PBX compositions), can confer reduced shock sensitivity as measured through gap test. At crystal level, lot of work has been done to try to determine which property or properties may explain the behaviour of the corresponding cast PBX composition. But up to now, and despite an international inter-laboratory comparison (Round Robin) of seven lots of RDX from five different manufacturers conducted from 2003 to 2005, even if some techniques lead to interesting results, there is no dedicated specification to apply to RS-RDX. This quality (I-RDX(R)) has proved to retain its low sensitivity even after ageing, which does not seem to be the case for standard RDX produced by the Bachmann process (when re-crystallized under I-RDX conditions in order to obtain RS-RDX). It has been shown that the higher sensitivity of RDX produced by the Bachmann process, or the evolution of sensitivity after ageing of RS-RDX produced from Bachmann RDX may be linked to the presence of octogen (HMX) during the crystallization process. In order to check such hypothesis, low HMX content RDX produced by the Bachmann process has been prepared and evaluated in cast PBX composition (PBX N 109). Results of the characterization of such quality of RDX and its evaluation in cast PBX composition as well as ageing behaviour are presented and discussed; there are indications that removal of HMX from Bachmann RDX may lead to RS-RDX, which retains its RS character even after ageing.