HMX
Encyclopedia
HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine
Nitroamine
Nitroamines are organic compounds that contain the nitroamino functional group, R2N-NO2. The R's are the continuation of the ring structure, see RDX. Examples of nitroamines are the explosives HMX, cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane and tetryl...

 high explosive, chemically related to RDX
RDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...

. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.

The molecular structure of HMX consists of an eight-membered ring of alternating carbon and nitrogen atoms, with a nitro group attached to each nitrogen atom. Because of its high molecular weight, it is one of the most potent chemical explosives manufactured, although a number of newer ones, including HNIW and octanitrocubane
Octanitrocubane
Octanitrocubane is a high explosive that, like TNT, is shock-insensitive , not detonating even when struck by a hammer...

, are more powerful.

Production

HMX is more complicated to manufacture than most explosives and this confines it to specialist applications. It may be produced by nitration of hexamine
Hexamine
Hexamethylenetetramine is a heterocyclic organic compound with the formula 6N4. This white crystalline compound is highly soluble in water and polar organic solvents. It has a cage-like structure similar to adamantane. It is useful in the synthesis of other chemical compounds, e.g. plastics,...

 in the presence of acetic anhydride
Acetic anhydride
Acetic anhydride, or ethanoic anhydride, is the chemical compound with the formula 2O. Commonly abbreviated Ac2O, it is the simplest isolatable acid anhydride and is a widely used reagent in organic synthesis...

, paraformaldehyde
Paraformaldehyde
Paraformaldehyde is the smallest polyoxymethylene, it is the condensation reaction product of formaldehyde with a typical degree of polymerization of 8–100 units. Paraformaldehyde commonly has a slight odor of formaldehyde due to decomposition...

 and ammonium nitrate. RDX produced using the Bachmann Process usually contains 8–10% HMX.

Applications

Also known as cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine, tetrahexamine tetranitramine, or octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine, HMX was first made in 1930. In 1949 it was discovered that HMX can be prepared by nitrolysis of RDX. Nitrolysis of RDX is performed by dissolving RDX in a 55% HNO3
Nitric acid
Nitric acid , also known as aqua fortis and spirit of nitre, is a highly corrosive and toxic strong acid.Colorless when pure, older samples tend to acquire a yellow cast due to the accumulation of oxides of nitrogen. If the solution contains more than 86% nitric acid, it is referred to as fuming...

 solution, followed by placing the solution on a steambath for about six hours. HMX is used almost exclusively in military applications, including as the detonator in nuclear weapons, in the form of polymer-bonded explosive
Polymer-bonded explosive
A polymer-bonded explosive, also called PBX or plastic-bonded explosive, is an explosive material in which explosive powder is bound together in a matrix using small quantities of a synthetic polymer...

, and as a solid rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...

 propellant.

During World War II, under the code name Aunt Jemima, HMX was mixed with flour and used by Chinese guerrillas to disrupt the Japanese invasion and occupation of China. The mixture could easily pass for regular flour, thereby passing checkpoints without detection. It could even be cooked into pancakes without exploding and eaten without poisoning anyone. Uneaten pancakes or unused dough could still be used later for its original explosive purposes. In China during WWII, 15 tons of the "Aunt Jemima" HMX mixture was used. None was ever "discovered" by the Japanese. (Source: Weird Warfare episode on History Channel, Air Date 4-6-2011)

HMX is used in melt-castable explosives when mixed with TNT, which as a class are referred to as "octol
Octol
Octol is a melt-castable, high explosive mixture consisting of HMX and TNT in different weight proportions.-Composition:Two formulations are commonly used:* 70% HMX & 30% TNT* 75% HMX & 25% TNT...

s". Additionally, polymer-bonded explosive
Polymer-bonded explosive
A polymer-bonded explosive, also called PBX or plastic-bonded explosive, is an explosive material in which explosive powder is bound together in a matrix using small quantities of a synthetic polymer...

 compositions containing HMX are used in the manufacture of missile warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...

s and armor-piercing shaped charge
Shaped charge
A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Various types are used to cut and form metal, to initiate nuclear weapons, to penetrate armor, and in the oil and gas industry...

s.

HMX is also used in the process of perforating the steel casing in oil and gas wells. The HMX is built into a shaped charge that is detonated within the wellbore to punch a hole through the steel casing and surrounding cement out into the hydrocarbon bearing formations. The pathway that is created allows formation fluids to flow into the wellbore and onward to the surface.

See also

  • 2,4,6-Tris(trinitromethyl)-1,3,5-triazine
    2,4,6-Tris(trinitromethyl)-1,3,5-triazine
    2,4,6-Tris-1,3,5-triazine is a chemical compound that is a derivative of triazine first prepared in 1995. It is synthesized by destructive nitration of 2,4,6-tricarboxyl-1,3,5-triazine...

  • 4,4’-Dinitro-3,3’-diazenofuroxan (DDF)
  • Heptanitrocubane
    Heptanitrocubane
    Heptanitrocubane is a new experimental high explosive based on the cubic eight-carbon cubane molecule and closely related to octanitrocubane. Seven of the eight hydrogen atoms at the corners of the cubane molecule are replaced by nitro groups, giving the final molecular formula .As with...

  • HHTDD
    HHTDD
    HHTDD is a powerful but moisture sensitive explosive compound. It is essentially an open analogue of the cyclic nitroamine cage compounds such as CL-20...

  • Octanitrocubane
    Octanitrocubane
    Octanitrocubane is a high explosive that, like TNT, is shock-insensitive , not detonating even when struck by a hammer...

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