Thermal Decomposition Process of HMX

Abstract
The thermal decomposition of HMX has been investigated using thermoanalytical techniques and infrared spectroscopic study at both above and below its melting point. The weight loss phenomenon that occurs as the temperature is elevated at a constant heating rate has been clearly separated into four elementary processes which are induction period, sublimation, first order solid phase reaction, and highly exothermic liquid phase reaction by plotting them against the logarithm of the heating rate versus the reciprocal temperature. Hydroxymethyl formamide has been shown to be a major product of the liquid phase decomposition, which suggests that the decomposition of HMX in the liquid phase should be initiated by the N‐N bond scission but not by the C‐N bond scission.