Identification of octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) pyrolysis products by simultaneous thermogravimetric modulated beam mass spectrometry and time-of-flight velocity-spectra measurements

The pyrolysis products formed during the isothermal decomposition of HMX at 211°C are H₂O, HCN, CO, CH₂O, NO, N₂O, methylformamide, C₂H₆N₂O, octahydro-1-nitroso-3,5,7-trinitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine, and a nonvolatile residue. The temporal behaviors of these products during the decomposition are presented. The method for using time-of-flight (TOF) velocity spectra to assist mass-spectrometry measurements in identifying the different gaseous products formed from the pyrolysis of a material by determining the approximate molecular weights of the different gaseous products contributing to the different m/z values in the mass spectrum of the mixture is described. The ion fragmentation of HMX as a function of electron energy shows complete fragmentation of the HMX molecular ion for electron energies ≥ 12.4 eV. No fragments from the pyrolysis of HMX other than those mentioned above are observed.