Separation of RDX from Composition B Via a Supercritical Fluid Extraction Process

摘要

Supercritical fluid extraction is used, on the laboratory scale, to successfully separate and recover RDX from Composition B high explosive using neat carbon dioxide as the extraction solvent. The nitramine is recovered from Composition B with a purity in excess of 99%. TNT is readily extracted from Composition B, along with most of the wax, leaving the majority of RDX as an unextracted crystalline solid in the extraction vessel. Processing conditions for this separation process are discussed, including, temperature, pressure, and solvent-to-feed ratio.