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Author: Subject: Nitrating of materials?
sammac14
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[*] posted on 10-1-2011 at 03:38
Nitrating of materials?


I recently came across some nitric acid 372 Grams/Litre but it is contaminated by phosphoric acid 140 Grams/Litre. Can I still use this to nitrate materials such as urea nitrate and ETN. Do I have to clean the acid? I also found some 98% sulphuric acid and have pure Potassium Nitrate what ratios can I use to nitrate things such ETN and how much can I produce at one time?

I have done chemistry buy I cannot remember the equations and formulas and atomic bonds.
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User
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[*] posted on 10-1-2011 at 05:01


If you do not remember those things yous hould see the oppurtunity to learn.
The only thing you want to know right now is how to make explosives......
As quick and dirty as possible ?
Wrong forum.

Reconsider that plz.


[Edited on 10-1-2011 by User]




What a fine day for chemistry this is.
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sammac14
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[*] posted on 10-1-2011 at 15:05


I never said I wasn't willing to learn along the way and I said I do have a chemistry background I'm not like some of the other members that have absolutely no education on energetic materials and just post stupid questions. :mad:
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Bismuth
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[*] posted on 10-1-2011 at 18:00


I say don't bother with the nitric acid if it is contaminated with phosphoric acid, find a better source. Certainly don't try to nitrate organic materials with it whilst it is contaminated.

Your next questions are in fact, stupid questions. Do some reading and you'll be able to find out all your answers. Revise (yeah, right) all the basic chemistry you have 'forgotten'. Learn how to use the search function and it will take you a long way. There's already a large ETN thread that will cover all your questions and more. To somewhat answer your last question, don't be the moron who decides to nitrate his 1lb of erythritol straight up. It wouldn't end pretty...

So, on to your adventure, sammac14!
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sammac14
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[*] posted on 10-1-2011 at 18:48


Thanks I don't mean to sound stupid but I'm just learning and trust me I now what you mean about the etn. I was going to use it as safer primary by adding a few mg of Aluminium powder only 10 gram batches at a time even less, primariesare just to sensitive to be using. I'm may just use some fast burning double bass skmokrless powder to create pressure before the etn ignites. Any way Thanks for your advise.
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Bismuth
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[*] posted on 10-1-2011 at 19:12


No problems sammac14, but, I have no idea what you're on about in those last few sentences. ETN is not a primary explosive, it is a secondary explosive. You should be making A LOT less than 10gms of primary, if you choose to synthesis some. About the double base smokeless powder, I recommend strongly that you stick to traditional and proven methods before you try to be inventive.

I urge you to do a lot of reading about energetics if you wish to be practical with them. I'm not talking about a few night's worth, but I mean at least a few months to a year before you start doing any real synthesis. "The Chemistry Of Powder and Explosives" is available from the forum library, that's a good starting point. "Organic Chemistry of Explosives" is another good choice that you can read and you can take a look at Urbanski for some more in-depth information on selected topics. This forum is a wealth of knowledge too. I do recommend that you go over the basics as well, and revise on those. There are many links to numerous good educational chemistry websites spread throughout sciencemadness that will aid you with your general chemistry. Stoichiometry is very important.

If you do complete learning all of this and doing all this reading, might I suggest starting with nitrocellulose for a first synthesis. It'll give you the general idea about nitration and the procedure, it's fairly safe and the product is interesting without needing to be detonated by primary. While I do think it is unnecessary provided you listened to my advice, do not make organic peroxides. They'll inevitably be the cost of your fingers if you continue to make them over a period of time. I don't like to generalize, but many people new to this scene tend to go there for their ease and I just want to reiterate that it is not a good idea.

Happy reading :)

[Edited on 11-1-2011 by Bismuth]
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sammac14
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[*] posted on 10-1-2011 at 22:28


Thanks for the advice I have been reading alot of articles in relation to the chemistry of energetic materials but I will read thoughs articles so I truly know what I am doing. In relation to nitrocellulose I have no knowledge of it why don't you need a primary? Is it because it burns so quickly? I have nitric acid which is strong enough to create nitrocellulose. If not what is a safe primary that has easy to aquire chemmicals that don't require hard to find chemicals? What is a SAFE primary?
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Bismuth
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[*] posted on 11-1-2011 at 00:34


Sorry, I was a little bit ambiguous about nitrocellulose. It's just interesting to deflagrate it and it has many useful properties that are utilized in pyrotechnics as well. In my opinion, it is a synthesis that helps bring together concepts and you get a reward that isn't that dangerous to produce and to handle. It CAN be detonated with a primary, but it needs to be pressed at a high density. See the difference between deflagration and detonation if you don't know it.

For your last questions, you'll benefit in the long run if I don't spoon feed them to you. I'll just say don't waste nitric acid on NC. All your questions can be answered by searching this forum. There are no true 'safe' primaries, but there's ones that are less sensitive than others. There's countless threads dedicated to the production of many different primaries that are considered to be usable with caution for initiating secondary explosives. Just remember, it's better to lash out some money for those 'harder to acquire' chemicals than it is to go with something readily available if it means you'll get a safer primary/secondary explosive. No amount of money can help you when you're dead.
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[*] posted on 11-1-2011 at 06:13


Phosphoric acid is very non-volatile, so you should easily be able to distil the (dilute) nitric acid out of the mix if that is your only contaminant.
You may also be able to use it directly without purifying it as the phosphoric generally won't react with what you're trying to nitrate (note that urea nitrate is not made by nitration, but NG, NC, ETN and so on is).
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