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Author: Subject: Ammonium nitrate mixtures
AJKOER
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[*] posted on 13-9-2014 at 10:28



One may wish to examine, for several nitrates, what actually happens to a nitrate salt in the presence of various reducing agent to ascertain proper mixing ratios and reaction structuring involving ammonium nitrate. With the formation of nitrite, for example, one may produce a more highly unstable (explosive) compound, while an excess or too little of the reducing agent may be detractive.

For instance, per Atomistry.com on the action on certain metals on NaNO3 (see http://sodium.atomistry.com/sodium_nitrite.html ), to quote:

"The Sodium nitrite, NaNO2, is obtained by reducing sodium nitrate with metals such as lead or iron, with sulphur or carbon, or with material containing these substances. "

Here is another source listing a variety of compounds to quote (see https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&... ):

"Potassium nitrate decomposes to the nitrite when heated to its melting point. Reducing agents can also be added to facilitate the reaction to completion these are Pb, Fe2S, Fe2O, Cu, MnO2, Fe, chromic, and sulfur. Best results were from MnO2 at 650 ° C"

In a prior SM thread, I referenced the use of Al, Cd under alkai conditions, and in the presence of acid and the appropriate metal, like Cu and Cu/Zn amalgam, an active surface reaction with Hydrogen as yet another possible reducing agents for nitrate to nitrite ( see http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=52&... ). My personal experience working with Aluminum is that an excess can reduce KNO3 at least to NH3 as detected by the smell.

Now, one can compare the prior list of reducing agents to promote the formation of the nitrite with actual noted incompatiblilies as cited in this source for NH4NO3 (link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&... ), entitled "Study of Incompatibility of Ammonium Nitrate and its Mechanism of Decomposition by Theoretical Approach", by Stefania Cagnina et. al., to quote:

"Free ammonia in NH4NO3 may either stabilise, or tend to destabilise, the salt upon the situation. AN containing 0.1 % of ammonium chloride decomposes vigorously below 175 °C. Presence of 0.1 % of calcium chloride or iron(III) chloride in the nitrate lowers its initiation temperature sufficiently to give a violent or explosive decomposition. Al, Sb, Bi, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mg, Mn, Ni, Sn and Zn react violently or explosively with fused ammonium nitrate below 200 °C. Mineral acids destabilise. Concentrated acetic acid mixtures ignite on warming. Fire incidents involve AN mixed with 1% of organic fuels (confinement required). Up to 2-4 %, such mixtures are used as commercial explosives. AN containing the sulfate readily explodes on contact with potassium or its alloy with sodium. In presence of sulfide ores, explosives containing AN may undergo runaway reaction, leading to detonation at T < 40 °C. "

Interestingly, based on my nitrite formation supposition from ammonium nitrate, I anticipiated all the listed incompatible metals with the exception of Sb, Bi, Co, Mg, Ni and Sn.

A related extreme observation on transmuting ammonium nitrate prior to detonation could occur with NH4NO3 in Kerosene. If one heats the mixture to 170 C (but below 260 C ), the ammonium nitrate decomposes to N2O. When/if all the NH4NO3 is so thermally reduced, one can then subject this mixture to a strong detonator at which point an explosion is solely/largely due to kerosene infused N2O. As a source, see page 9 at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&... . To quote:

"Mixtures of N2O and hydrocarbon are monopropellants that are easily transportable explosives, such as, N2O and kerosene. "

The reaction of thermally heated NH4NO3 with sulfide ores is not surprising as one source notes (http://www.h2o2.com/products-and-services/us-peroxide-techno... ):

5 H2S + 8 NO3- → 5 SO4 2- + 4 N2 + 4 H2O + 2 H+

And another source to quote (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11935194):

"The major decline in H2S level coincided with the first complete nitrate consumption and production of nitrite"

There is also an interesting (and not completely unexpected per the KNO3 reduction to KNO2 noted above) interaction between ammonium nitrate based industrial explosives and pyrite-rich minerals in mining operations where the occurrence of spontaneous explosions has been reported (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19056177).

[Edited on 13-9-2014 by AJKOER]
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[*] posted on 14-9-2014 at 11:59
?


All this is instructive. Post put a lot of work. Does it add up to 1% pyrite AN mixture? Or else sensibilizer? Add 0.1% ammonium chloride? Or KNO2?
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AJKOER
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[*] posted on 15-9-2014 at 14:14


Until someone actually tests or can find a source on explosive performance differences, I would not assert whether any of the apparent destabilizers, which could facilitate a more rapid NH4NO3 decomposition, necessarily has any benefical impact on a particular explosive property.

The extreme example I gave of changing NH4NO3 in kerosene, into a N2O infused explosive, would, I suspect, increase the need for a higher power detonator (that is, the opposite of sensitizing), and further, in line with observed pure N2O based explosions, produce an insane temperature at point of detonation (as I noted in a prior thread, temperatures approaching 5,000 F). The latter property has been reported as hampering accident scene investigations as explanatory evidence can be vaporized.

Unfortunately for sure, some destabilizers do seem to promote the risk of accidental detonation (as in the case of FeS2).

[Edited on 15-9-2014 by AJKOER]
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[*] posted on 16-9-2014 at 02:24
LL


I understand better. Inappropriate sensitizer leads to a gradual degradation of the composition. Or equal to spontaneous explosion. Sorry for my English.
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wink.gif posted on 20-9-2014 at 13:42
High sensitive


Intermolecular eutectic composition:
91,1.............AN
8.9.............hexamine
5................aluminium
0.2.............soap
Sensitivity to primary initiator only: 0,4 LA or 0,4 HMTD. Grain 1x1mm, density 0,8 - 1,2g/cc, diameter 20mm, only in paper tube. Full detonation. Repeatedly......... :cool:
LL

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[*] posted on 20-9-2014 at 13:54



Quote:

0.2.............soap


Soap covers a wide range of possibilities- Sodium lauryl sulfate for soap?




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[*] posted on 20-9-2014 at 23:48
soap


I use machine translation. I do not understand this question accurately. On 1. side of this thread is a function of soap explained. It is a substitute. There has to be 0.1% abietic acid. What use soap? Any. Any bar soap. LL
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Fantasma4500
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[*] posted on 21-9-2014 at 22:36


86.5 AN
8.46 hexamine
4.75 Al
0.19 'soap'
couldnt help but adjust ratio to 100




~25 drops = 1mL @dH2O viscocity - STP
Truth is ever growing - but without context theres barely any such.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solubility_table
http://www.trimen.pl/witek/calculators/stezenia.html
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[*] posted on 25-9-2014 at 11:52
hell


It looks good. It will go like hell. Perhaps only 300mg HMTD ...:cool: Thanks.
LL
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