Thermal stability of the crystallisation nucleant

Abstract

The 2,2',4,4',6,6'hexanitrostilbene, HNS, nucleant, used in the crystallisation of 2,4,6,trinitrotoluene, TNT, was precipitated from molten TNT and examined by differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, at several stages during purification by vacuum sublimation. During purification a broad endotherm, associated with nucleant decomposition, which could be resolved into two endotherms, depending on the sublimation temperature, was observed. Pure nucleant prepared at 70‡C showed a similar behaviour during thermal annealing for extended periods of time at >85‡C. Thus TNT, retained in the recrystallised HNS nucleant, may be migrating during the purification process or may occupy a range of lattice sites, which exhibit different activation energies for migration to the surface of the solid during thermal decomposition of the nucleant. Loss of TNT from the nucleant, during purification, could produce some free HNS. The activation energy for nucleant decomposition, which may be a two-stage processes with the initial mobility of the TNT being the limiting reaction, was estimated to be ∼210 kJ mol⁻. The lattice sites available for the TNT in the host HNS nucleant require elucidation and are the subject of further studies to be published at a later date.