Claims
- 1. A process for extracting nitramine oxidizers from nitramine-containing energetic materials selected from the group consisting of propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics, and recovering the nitramine oxidizers, said process comprising:combining an energetic material comprising one or more nitramine oxidizers and one or more binders with an acid bath comprising a concentrated inorganic acid, the acid bath having a sufficiently high concentration of concentrated inorganic acid and being heated to a sufficiently high temperature to dissolve the nitramine oxidizers into solution, the solution being free of organic solvent; filtering the solution to remove the binders and provide a filtrate containing the nitramine oxidizers; and precipitating the nitramine oxidizer from the filtrate and isolating the nitramine oxidizer.
- 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein said precipitating of the nitramine oxidizer comprises diluting the filtrate with and precipitating the nitramine oxidizer in at least water.
- 3. A process according to claim 1, further comprising grinding or cutting the energetic material into relatively small particles prior to said combining of the energetic material with the binders.
- 4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the concentrated inorganic acid is at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and perchloric acid.
- 5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the concentrated inorganic acid comprises nitric acid.
- 6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the acid bath comprises from about 70 wt. % to about 98 wt. % nitric acid.
- 7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the energetic material comprises at least one nitrate ester compound, and wherein said process further comprises pre-treating the energetic material with at least one hydrolysis agent to hydrolyze the nitrate ester compound prior to said combining.
- 8. A process according to claim 7, wherein the hydrolysis agent comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of aqueous ammonia, dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide, dilute aqueous potassium hydroxide, dilute aqueous sodium sulfide, and dilute mineral acid.
- 9. A process according to claim 7, wherein the concentrated inorganic acid is at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and perchloric acid.
- 10. A process according to claim 7, wherein the concentrated inorganic acid comprises nitric acid.
- 11. A process according to claim 10, wherein the acid bath comprises from about 70 wt. % to about 98 wt. % nitric acid.
- 12. A process for extracting nitramine oxidizers from nitramine-containing energetic materials selected from the group consisting of propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics, and recovering the nitramine oxidizers, said process comprising:combining an energetic material comprising one or more nitramine oxidizers and one or more binders with an aqueous bath comprising nitric acid, the aqueous bath having a sufficiently high concentration of nitric acid and being heated to a sufficiently high temperature to dissolve the nitramine oxidizers into solution, the solution being free of organic solvent; filtering the solution to remove the binders and provide a filtrate containing the nitramine oxidizers; and precipitating the nitramine oxidizer from the filtrate and isolating the nitramine oxidizer.
- 13. A process according to claim 12, wherein said precipitating of the nitramine oxidizer comprises diluting the filtrate with and precipitating the nitramine oxidizer in at least water.
- 14. A process according to claim 12, wherein the aqueous bath comprises from about 70 wt. % to about 98 wt. % nitric acid.
- 15. A process according to claim 12, further comprising grinding or cutting the energetic material into relatively small particles prior to said combining of the energetic material with the binders.
- 16. A continuous process for extracting nitramine oxidizers from nitramine-containing energetic materials selected from the group consisting of propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics, and recovering the nitramine oxidizers, said process comprising:combining in a continuous processing vessel an energetic material comprising one or more nitramine oxidizers and one or more binders with an aqueous bath comprising nitric acid; heating the aqueous bath and recirculating the aqueous bath through the continuous processing vessel for a sufficient time to dissolve the nitramine oxidizers into solution, the solution being free of organic solvent; filtering the solution to remove the binders and provide a filtrate containing the nitramine oxidizers; and precipitating the nitramine oxidizer from the filtrate and isolating the nitramine oxidizer.
- 17. A process according to claim 16, wherein said precipitating of the nitramine oxidizer comprises diluting the filtrate with and precipitating the nitramine oxidizer in at least water.
- 18. A process according to claim 16, wherein the energetic material comprises at least one nitrate ester compound, and wherein said process further comprises pre-treating the energetic material with at least one hydrolysis agent to hydrolyze the nitrate ester compound prior to said combining.
- 19. A process according to claim 16, further comprising grinding or cutting the energetic material into relatively small particles prior to said combining of the energetic material with the binders.
- 20. A process according to claim 16, wherein aqueous bath comprises greater than 90 wt. % nitric acid.
RELATED APPLICATION
Priority is claimed of provisional application Ser. No. 60/121,493 filed in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on Feb. 24, 1999, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Urbanski, T.; Chemistry and Technology of Explosives, vol. III, (1967) pp. 79, 117 (No month). |
Leake, E.E. “Recovery of HMX From Scrap PBX-9404 High Explosive”, Technical Report No. 219, AEC Operations Division, Oct. 26, 1973. |
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/121493 |
Feb 1999 |
US |