The RDX full form is Research Department eXplosive or Royal Demolition eXplosive. It’s a type of explosive related to nitramines, a class of explosives made from organic nitrate. It’s also known as hexogen, cyclonite, and T4 RDX. Its scientific name is Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, and its molecular formula is C3H6N6O6. RDX is a white crystalline solid that is water-insoluble but somewhat soluble in certain solvents. Its principal non-military application is in blasting caps, which are percussion sensitive. By combining RDX with other compounds, the intensity of the RDX can be lowered.
- Georg Friedrich Henning of Germany created and patented RDX in 1898.
- However, it was not deployed until the Second World War, when most belligerent states adopted this RDX for the first time.
- A secret procedure was devised in the United States.
- Canada and the United States developed RDX on a huge scale in a relatively safe and cost-effective manner.