A method for the crystallization of 2,4,6,8,10,12, - hexa nitro - 2,4,6,8,10,12, - hexaazatetrazyklo - 5.5.0.05,9 0 3,11 - dodecane by precipitation

摘要

A process of crystallizing CL-20 is disclosed. In the process, a wet CL-20 solvent/CL-20 solution is dried by azeotropic distillation of a CL-20 solvent/water azeotrope. Removal of water from the CL-20 solution permits crystallization of high density CL-20. A low density, CL-20 non-solvent is added to the resulting dry CL-20 solvent/CL-20 solution to cause precipitation of ε-polymorph CL-20. The CL-20 crystals are separated from the non-solvent and the solvent by adding sufficient water to displace the non-solvent and the solvent from the surface of the CL-20 crystals. In this fashion, the ε-polymorph CL-20 is made wet for later handling, packaging, and shipping.