Hexanitrostilbene also called JD-X, is a heat resistant high explosive developed at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory

Naval Ordnance Laboratory

The Naval Ordnance Laboratory , now disestablished, formerly located in White Oak, Maryland was the site of considerable work that had practical impact upon world technology. The White Oak site of NOL has now been taken over by the Food and Drug Administration.-History:The U.S...

 in the 1960s. Other names include 1,1'-(1,2-ethenediyl)bis[2,4,6-trinitrobenzene]; 1,2-bis-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-ethylene; hexanitrodiphenylethylene.

It is commercially produced by oxidizing trinitrotoluene (TNT) with a solution of sodium hypochlorite. HNS boasts a higher insensitivity to heat than TNT, and like TNT it is very insensitive to impact. When casting TNT, HNS is added at 1/2% to form erratic micro-crystals within the TNT which prevent cracking.

HNS was the main explosive fill in the Mortar grenades used as part of the Apollo Lunar Active Seismic Experiments.

Its heat of detonation is 4 kJ/g.

Solubility Information: (at room temperature in 100 ml of solvent)

Acetone = Insoluble

Butyrolacetone = Slightly Soluble (0.1 - 5g)

DMFA = Slightly Soluble (0.1 - 5g)

DMSO = Slightly Soluble (0.1 - 5g)

N-methyl-pyrrolidone = Slightly Soluble (0.1 - 5g)