Research on the phlegmatization technology of RDX with oxidized polyethylene wax

Abstract

In this paper, several factors affecting the preparation of A-IX-1O explosive by a surface modification method in an aqueous emulsion system using oxidized polyethylene wax (OPE wax) dissolved in solvent cyclohexane and octylphenol ethoxylate (Triton X-100) surfactant were investigated. The results showed that replacing oxyzin wax with OPE wax at a dissolution concentration in cyclohexane solvent not exceeding 5% and employing Triton X-100 surfactant at low concentrations not exceeding 0.1 wt.% relative to hexogen (RDX), improves the coating coverage of the OPE wax layer on the surface of RDX particles. As a result, the obtained particles were fine, free-flowing, uniform in size, and free from agglomeration. The A-IX-1O explosive prepared in this study exhibited technical characteristics comparable to those of Russian A-IX-1O explosive, but with significantly lower impact sensitivity.