PARTICLE-SIZE CONTROL OF 1,3,5-TRIAMINO-2,4,6-TRINITROBENZENE BY RECRYSTALLIZATION FROM DMSO

Batches of up to 46 g of the insensitive explosive 1,3,5-triamino-2,4, 6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) have been recrystallized from DMSO in an effo rt to prepare larger particle-size material for recycling previously-u sed TATB and also for use in special formulations. The first part of t he study investigated the conditions required to shift the particle-si ze distribution maximum from similar to 50-70 mu m to several hundred micrometres in diameter. Distributions peaking at similar to 200-246 m u m were successfully produced by varying the cooldown rate and degree of agitation during cooling. The second part of the study emphasized regeneration of the standard similar to 50-70 mu m distribution from s ubmicron size (''ultrafine'' TATB) particles. The distributions peakin g at similar to 76-88 mu m, similar to 27-31 mu m, and similar to 15-1 7 mu m, successfully bracketed the target particle sizes, were grown b y changing the degree of solution saturation. The choice of saturation temperature for the TATB/DMSO solution was based on earlier small-sca le recrystallization and solubility work.