HMX
HMX is a development of RDX.
Like RDX, it has various translations of its acronym including High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive or even High Velocity Military eXplosive. In fact the acronym simply means 'High Molecular weight rdX'.
Its chemical name is cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine and is also called Tetrahexamine Tetranitramine. It is a powerful military explosive material; it is also used in rocket fuels. It may be produced by nitration of hexamine in the presence of acetic anhydride, paraformaldehyde and ammonium nitrate.
HMX, also known as octogen, explodes violently at high temperatures. It decomposes around 280°C. Its density is 1.91.
HMX is the military's most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) explosive, though Octanitrocubane is expected to be more powerful. In general, the explosive power of high explosives is proportional to a function of its molecular weight. (I have the details to hand, but as it is contained in a classified paper, I am unable to elaborate at this time.)
The molecule has an eight-membered ring made of carbon and nitrogen atoms, which supports four nitro groups.
Links:
- http://roguesci.org/megalomania/explo/HMX.html
