Hexanitrostilbene (HNS), also called JD-X, is an organic compound with the formula [(O<sub>2</sub>N)<sub>3</sub>C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>2</sub>CH]<sub>2</sub>. It is a yellow-orange solid. It is used as a heat-resistant high explosive. It is slightly soluble (0.1 - 5 g/100 mL) in butyrolactone, DMF, DMSO, and N-methylpyrrolidone.
Production and use
It is produced by oxidizing trinitrotoluene (TNT) with chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite). HNS boasts a higher insensitivity to heat than TNT, and like TNT it is insensitive to impact. When casting TNT, HNS is added at 0.5% to form erratic micro-crystals within the TNT, which prevent cracking.
Its heat of detonation is 4 kJ/g.
It was developed by the chemist Kathryn Grove Shipp at the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory in the 1960s and has been improved on since then.
See also
- TNT equivalent
- RE factor