PBXs

Both RDX and HMX are substantially desensitized by mixing with TNT to form cyclotols (RDX) and octols (HMX) or by coating with waxes, synthetic polymers, and elastomeric biaders. Most of the RDX made ia the United States is converted to Composition B (60% RDX, 40% TNT, 1 part wax added). Composition A5 (RDX 98.5/stearic acid 1.5) and composition C4 (RDX91/nonexplosive plasticizer) account for the next largest uses. HMX is used as a propellant and ia maximum-performance plastic bonded explosives such as PBX 9401 and PBX N5 and the octols (147—150). 

J. McDevitt, "Processing Characteristics of Castable PBX Explosives," in Symposium of ProcessingPropellants, Explosives, and Ingredients, ADPA, Washington, D.C., 1977, p. 3.2-1. 

This switching power supply can be used for electronic products that plug into ac power sources ranging from 85 VAC to 240 VAC. This particular switching power supply can be scaled to provide from 25 watts to f50 watts of output power. This supply can be used for products such as small office PBXs, etc. Please refer to Figure 3-72. 

PBX. An acronym for Plastic Bonded Explosive. A term applied to a variety of expl mixts which are characterized by high mechanical strength (above 10,000psi compressive strength), good expl properties (usually > 780Qm/sec deton vel),... 

History. The first attempts to desensitize RDX were reported by Frankel and Carle ton (Refs 1 thru 5) who made use of polymeric materials such as polyurethanes to coat expl crysts by means of emulsion or soln techniques. The first true PB-RDX was developed in 1952 at the Univ of Califs Los Alamos Lab and consisted of RDX coated with polystyrene plasticized with DOP (Refs 6 21). Since then the Lawrence Livermore Lab has evolved a series of PBX formulations, many of which are listed in Tables 3,4 5. These compns are described in Ref 77... 

Manufacture of PBX Type Explosives. Several mfg procedures are currently used to produce PBXs. One of these techniques is that of casting. (Fig 1 illustrates a process for PBXN-101). 

The PBX usually employed contains a high solids content expl such as PETN (PBXC-303(1), see in Tables 3, 4 5) which provides for steady -state deton in small cross-sectional channel or tubes (Fig 3). Indeed, this technique was de-... 

The thermal, vacuum thermal and storage stability performance of the PBXs has been reported on by Gordon in Ref 12 and also in Refs 26, 38, 51,56 and 77. Most of the NAVORD Refs (see under Refs) have some information on these subjects relative to the subject PBX compn of each report ... 

Toxicity. PBXs, per se, are not highly toxic, but careless handling of the expls or their constituents (see Table 2) can cause systemic poisoning by inhalation of dust or vapor, by ingestion, or by contact with the skin... 

Listed below in tabular form are the available parameters found for over 43 selected PBX formulations, supported by unclassified refs. Table 3 presents the nomenclature and formulation of each compn Table 4, sensitivity and stability data and Table 5, performance parameters... 

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