Sciencemadness Discussion Board

VERY DANGERIOUS OLD NITROGLYCERIN!!!

SherlockHolmes - 8-3-2013 at 01:57

Hello friends, I want to share something that happened to me last year. I synthesized 120ml. nitroglycerin, decided there was no point to neutralize it properly because I test it quickly. Tests, however, slowed down and I forgot about it. After 1-2 months to get this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SvW_P0safI

It was synthesized with impure reagents and impurities due to poor neutralization and started to decompose and had spent a lot of NOx. I found that it became very unstable when a drop of accidentally fell to the ground and detonate. I carefully filled the jar with flour and remove it from the lab.

PLEASE NO LONGER KEEP BAD NEUTRALIZED NITROGLICERIN PREPARED WITH IMPURE REAGENTS!!!

[Edited on 8-3-2013 by SherlockHolmes]

[Edited on 8-3-2013 by SherlockHolmes]

hissingnoise - 8-3-2013 at 03:57

Quote:
decided there was no point to neutralize it properly because I test it quickly.

Full, immediate neutralisation of Nitro would seem to be elementary, Holmes . . .

SherlockHolmes - 8-3-2013 at 05:56

Even neutralized nitroglycerin may begin to decompose because of the presence of impurities with other compounds.

Ral123 - 8-3-2013 at 06:59

One good thing about EGDN-it's lazy man's NG. It wont blow you up that readily. I've had (not well neutralised) EGDN for more then 6 moths. It didn't show any signs of decompositon even when stored in a sunny warm place. Thoroughly washed NG turned greenish on my after just 3 weeks in similar place.

Bot0nist - 8-3-2013 at 19:34

What you say is from personal experiance, about the EGDN, but I have seen the stuff turn darker over the matter of days, and as to its ability to accidently blow you up... I bet it could do the trick a lot easier than one may want, if improperly nutralized and/or mishandled.
How much more sensitive is NG than EGDN, Ral? I'm sure its common knowlage, but if you have some numbers you based that on it would be nice to see them. Both substances being poorly nutralized may really change their sensitivity to various stimuli.

And hiss, you said it. Doing anything else is madness, IMO.

Ral123 - 9-3-2013 at 00:10

My first EGDN also turned darker in a matter of days, when I just sucked it with a syringe from the reaction, and let it sit like that :D The numbers are that EGDN has twice the drop height of NG. From my experience NG soaked in paper explodes readily when hit with a hammer. Well neutralised EGDN(on paper) is almost impossible to set off with a hammer. RDX explodes with a good hit.

SherlockHolmes - 9-3-2013 at 04:36

Almost impossible to detonate from shock you? This is not to mention the sensitivity of neutralized and washed product. I just wanted to show people what can happen in any store nitroglycerine which is prepared from impure reagents can not begin to emphasize the benefits of EGDN to NG. I nearly died the last time EGDN synthesized. Furthermore, NG can be prepared plastic explosive that can stand several days outdoors and will not change its explosive properties. I bet that most of my colleagues do not use extra pure reagents for synthesis. Otherwise perfect wash and neutralization of NG can't be done at home but can stay several months or even year in a cool, dark and under a layer of water no signs of decomposition. And with good neutralization and proper handling nitroglycerin do not think it is dangerous than EGDN.

[Edited on 9-3-2013 by SherlockHolmes]

[Edited on 9-3-2013 by SherlockHolmes]

Antiswat - 9-3-2013 at 17:08

i guess this is the properties the general public is taught about NG.. (:

more sensitive = more fun
also had my first... unexpected fun today with sensitive stuff.. gotta keep your mind clear if going past 0.05g..

very interesting.. but i think you should never lack the safety when it comes to neutralization, still knowledge is made by alterations of experiments, usually.. leading to unusual properties and new understandings perhaps new physical laws..
but its not always this new knowledge is acquired in silence when it comes to already sensitive compounds :P