Migration of PBX 9501 constituents

The nominal composition of PBX is 94.9% HMX, 2.5% Estane 5703, 2.5% bis-2,2-dinitropropyl acetal/formal (nitroplasticizer, NP), and 0.1% stabilizer (diphenylamine, DPA or Irganox 1010). In addition to the stabilizer added to the PBX formulation, the NP eutectic liquid contains 0.1% of the stabilizer phenyl-beta-naphthylamine (PBNA). For PBX 9501 containing weapons, it is known that NP migrates from the charge into the shield polymer, and ethylene-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol terpolymer, becomes saturated over time with NP and that migration is then stopped. Experiments have been performed showing the saturation concentration of the shield material to be 8.8 weight percent. Prior to this work, analyses were performed on weapon components from a W76 unit that had been in the stockpile for 172 months. The HE, stress cushions, and shields were analyzed for NP and for possible products of NP decomposition. Although no evidence of NP decomposition was found, it was discovered that the PBX stabilizer and the HMX impurity, RDX, were also moving into the shields. This paper will summarize the analytical data obtained from a number of weapons of various ages. Quantitation of NP, DPA, Irganox, RDX, and PBNA has been performed on shields from six different W76 units