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Author: Subject: Plasticizer problem
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sad.gif posted on 20-11-2015 at 12:37
Plasticizer problem


From this topic it says that you can make a really good plasticizer from polybutene ( bird repellant) motor oil and methylricinoleate. I tried this method without success. I tried to plasticize 10gr of powdered sugar with no luck. I tried with 10% from Kitchen Improvised, 10% ( 1.83%PBN 6.19%MethRicin 2.06%SAE 30 MotorOil) 15% ( 2.75%PBN 9.28%MethRicin 3.09%SAE 30 MotorOil) and 15% (6.3%PBN 7.2%MethRicin 1.5%SAE 30 MotorOil) All of them was very brittle. The less brittle was the last one but steel far from what it must be.

I just want to make an ETN based C4 but i am using powdered sugar because i dont want to waste my ETN

[Edited on 20-11-2015 by underground]
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[*] posted on 20-11-2015 at 14:53


Powdered sugar isn't exactly going to work the same way as ETN would in a mixture, I have a feeling ETN would cling together better than the sugar.
I know semtex is about 20% inerts so you could try adding a bit more plasticizer/binder, 2% PIB, 3% MRO and 15% motor oil might work better.

I'm not sure how you're mixing the ingredients but dissolving a low weight conventional motor oil and PIB in a non polar solvent and kneading it into the ETN until homogenous then evaporating the solvent is a pretty good method.
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[*] posted on 20-11-2015 at 17:31


I agree, the inert testing is not really needed if you use a small amount say 5 g to start.measure carefully so not to have too much inert ingredients. It is quite easy. Just dissolve the plastics/oils in white spirit mix till homogeneous and evaporate solvent. All or most of the solvent must be evaporated before rolling the plastic out. Easy process really.



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[*] posted on 20-11-2015 at 22:32


I dissolve them in unleaded gasoline, mix the sugar and i let the gasoline to evaporate.

OneEyedPyro why so much Motor oil ? Every combination that i have seen usually uses more MRO
C4 has only 10% inerts. I want to keep the inerts low for better VoD
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[*] posted on 21-11-2015 at 00:34


I'm not really sure what role MRO would play in such a mixture to be honest, I doubt it would act much different than motor oil though. I've heard it prevents some solids in plastic explosives from recrystallizing and hardening but I wouldn't think that would be a big problem with ETN.

You can always add some NG to help make a nice handling product while keeping the VoD up, NG is very effective as a plasticizer and it helps as a binder since it dissolves some of the ETN making it tacky.
2% PIB, 8% NG and 5% oil would probably make a decent handling plastic with a good VoD, the ratios are purely speculation but it should be pretty close to a workable mixture.
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[*] posted on 21-11-2015 at 03:34


The problem with NG is that it is not storage stable.
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[*] posted on 21-11-2015 at 04:12


Nitroglycerin is sensitive because of its vapour pressure causing microscopic bubbles which form in it and act as initiating spots when shocked.
If it is absorbed into an absorbent material which I am sure PETN would suffice, it stops these bubbles from forming and would make a more stable product.
I don't know about longer term storage as I have seen a youtube video of a linear shaped charge using this explosive mixture and upon arrival at the detonation site, the charge is sweating/leaking some of the nitroglycerin out the side.
I am sure there is some chemical that can be used to stop the sweating of the NG though.




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[*] posted on 21-11-2015 at 05:01


When properly neutralized and purified NG is quite storage stable in the sense that it won't decompose after years if not decades.

The way it tends to separate from mixtures is a problem but since ETN is soluble in NG I don't think it would be such an issue.

NG has a bit worse of a reputation than it deserves in my opinion.
I remember the first time I did a hammer test on some NG and it took 5 solid hammer strikes to set it off, I was quite surprised sinse I was expecting peroxide like sensitivity.

In any case there are other very safe liquid energetics like nitromethane if you're not comfortable with NG.
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[*] posted on 21-11-2015 at 05:20


This may also be interesting, 1,2 propanediol is available as a less toxic anti-freeze:

US 3208890 A

Nitration to 1,2 PGDN is pretty straightforward, sensitivity comparable to TNT IIRC. Toxicity of the 1,2 PGDN is not really clear, presumably similar to NG and absorbed through skin.
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[*] posted on 21-11-2015 at 05:22


You are right NG does get almost a worse name than organic peroxides.
I have never done a hammer test on it but all the results that I have read from them are just like yours 4-5 hits compared to 1 or two for acetone peroxide.
I think it is less sensitive if a drop is placed on a hard surface and hit compared to if you soak it into a tissue and then smack it. I think ot takes less hits to initiate it then.




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[*] posted on 21-11-2015 at 16:03


Quote: Originally posted by underground  
From this topic it says that you can make a really good plasticizer from polybutene ( bird repellant) motor oil and methylricinoleate. I tried this method without success. I tried to plasticize 10gr of powdered sugar with no luck. I tried with 10% from Kitchen Improvised, 10% ( 1.83%PBN 6.19%MethRicin 2.06%SAE 30 MotorOil) 15% ( 2.75%PBN 9.28%MethRicin 3.09%SAE 30 MotorOil) and 15% (6.3%PBN 7.2%MethRicin 1.5%SAE 30 MotorOil) All of them was very brittle. The less brittle was the last one but steel far from what it must be.

I just want to make an ETN based C4 but i am using powdered sugar because i dont want to waste my ETN


The process doesn't work wel because sugar is a highly polar compound (a lot of hydroxy alcohol groups and an aldehyd function; thus very soluble in water and hydrophile) while your Motor Oil,PBN and Me ricinoleate are highly apolar, alcanic and hydrophobic.
You are thus trying to mix like water and oil...it is harder!

ETN is kind of apolar, hydrophobic and as such in chemistry like likes like...so in that case the hydrophobic plasticizer mix do actually kind of dissolve in each other.
See chewing-gum and benzine example.

Beter watch at the octanol/water coefficient of compounds to get the feeling of good compatibility.




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[*] posted on 22-11-2015 at 09:35


I have tried with 15% inerts and 20g of ETN but still not big deal. I used 6.5%PBN 6.5%MRT and 0.2%MO. Any suggested combinations for PBN-MRT-MO ?

[Edited on 22-11-2015 by underground]
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[*] posted on 23-11-2015 at 10:53


Quote: Originally posted by underground  
I dissolve them in unleaded gasoline, mix the sugar and i let the gasoline to evaporate.

I think gasoline is a poor choice of solvent and may be causing some of your problems. Modern gas can be up to 10% ethanol, will contain various organometallic antiknock additives (like MMT), oxygenates (typically ketones or esters), detergents, metal deactivators, stabilizers, antioxidants, and a whole host of unsaturated hydrocarbons.

http://bcn.boulder.co.us/basin/waterworks/gasolinecomp.pdf

There are plenty of things in there that will polymerize with or crosslink the PBN and the methyl ricinoleate. Once the rest of the volatiles evaporate, you are left with something like a chunk of plastic with a lot of filler.

Try looking for highly hydrotreated paraffinic solvents like coleman camping fuel or barbeque charcoal lighter fluid. They will contain almost zero unsaturated or aromatic compounds and will not cause polymerization problems. You could also use a pure reagent-type solvent like n-heptane, hexanes, cyclohexane, etc.

[Edited on 23-11-2015 by Praxichys]




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[*] posted on 23-11-2015 at 12:01


Can i use just pure aceton for that purpose ?

[Edited on 23-11-2015 by underground]
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[*] posted on 23-11-2015 at 12:35


That depends on what you're trying to achieve.

If you have already recrystallized your ETN into a dense crystalline state, ideally that should not be modified. To do it right, you need a solvent that dissolves only the plasticizers and binders and not the ETN. The ETN crystals are wet with a solution of the binders and plasticizers and the solvent dries, leaving unmodified, dense grains of ETN coated in a thin layer. RDX is handled this way in the manufacture of C-4.

Acetone will dissolve the ETN. When the mixture is dried, the crystal structure of the ETN will be modified. If these crystals too small or too fluffy, total density (and hence, performance) might suffer.

So, acetone will probably work. However, it is not the ideal situation for performance.

EDIT: Some suitable solvents -

Mineral spirits
Zippo fluid
Oil-based paint thinner
Coleman camp fuel or "white gas"
Barbecue lighter fluid
Petroleum ether
Xylenes
any isomers of hexane or heptane
VM&P Naphtha

Look on MSDSs for keywords like "Light hydrotreated paraffinic hydrocarbons" (With the exception of xylenes, all of these products are basically the same thing. They differ slightly in boiling point, so some will take longer to evaporate than others.)

[Edited on 23-11-2015 by Praxichys]




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[*] posted on 24-11-2015 at 01:37


So i guess white spirit (paint thinner) will do the job
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[*] posted on 5-12-2015 at 05:32


Can just ETN and vaseline make a good plastic explosive ?
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[*] posted on 5-12-2015 at 16:56


White gas/ Coleman fuel also used in dry cleaning. Zippo fluid works well the list that pray provided pretty much covers it. As fo ETN /petroleum jelly it may work but I suspect it would have rather poor handling and be hard to load properly plus susceptible to melt in Warner temperatures or even from over kneading. Another very real problem I experienced some time ago when I experimented with ETN and silicone grease was a serious nitro headache. This headache was a beast,very bad lasting all night and part of the next morning. So just be aware that ETN can cause this fi mishandled like I did when I was not very experienced in these matters.



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[*] posted on 5-12-2015 at 17:54


I always use gloves and i am trying not to come in contact with them. How can i check if polymerization is working ? Maybe it is working with gasoline. What if i try first to see how the material looks like after the evaporation of the solvent, without the addition of ETN ? Try first with gasoline and then with pure acetone to see if there is any difference between them in the end

[Edited on 6-12-2015 by underground]
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[*] posted on 14-12-2015 at 13:03
PIB 19


When I see and read a big problem with plastification, I can recommended Poly Isomer Butylene from commerce vulcanize tape. Usually called PIB 19. Her molecular weight (long of molecule) is good. Respective her middle molecular long /weight. Long of molecule is a crucial conditions for purpose any PIB. Because PIB can be as oil to hard solid rubber. And allways is it only PIB. //Same difference pay for silicone oil and any synthetic glue - binder. For example rat or bird trap. // But with very different molecular weight. On Liptakov channel you can see good and easy plasticizer from tape (e-bay) this compose: PIB 4 -5 % (dissolved in heptane on 10% liq.) And synthetic oil 5W40 also same, 4-5% of all amount. Ration is possible change, usually 4:6 to 6:4. Best is 1:1, respective 4,5+4,5% of all ammount. Together thus 8 - 10% plastificator. Heptane (gasoline) evaporate, of course. I have not with plastification nothing problems. Watching video Chedditex. Dr. Liptakov
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[*] posted on 14-12-2015 at 13:15


What do you usually use ? Pib, MRO and motor oil?
So maybe i must use PIB and not polybutene

[Edited on 14-12-2015 by underground]
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[*] posted on 14-12-2015 at 15:11
Determination


But I say, I write. Only PIB from tape and motor oil (syntehtic) 5W40. Its all. Tape is need dissolved in gasoline. Two day process. On 1g tape 10g heptane.
Determination of the concentration: 5,00 g of the solution poured onto a stainless steel surface. Evaporate heptane. Make a ball of pure PIB. Consider at 0.01 grams. If it is 0.45 g for 10g is it 0.9 g. In 10 g of the solution was 0.9 g PIB. The concentration of the solution is 9%. If you want to add 4.5 g PIB somewhere? Calculation: 100: 9 = 11.1. 4,5x11,1 = 49.95 = Thus, in 50 g solution is 4.5 g (dry) PIB. Into 50g poured 4,5g 5W40. Stirr. In this time we have 9grams of plastificator. For 91 grams of ETN, PETN, or AN,(Plastan) for KClO3, (Chedditex) or flour (building animals) or anything fine material. Dr. Liptakov
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[*] posted on 16-12-2015 at 13:27


Quote: Originally posted by Laboratory of Liptakov  
I can recommended Poly Isomer Butylene from commerce vulcanize tape. Usually called PIB 19.


Is it the same with Self-amalgamating tape made out of PIB ? By cutting the tape and add it into heptane, then after 2 days filter it and let the heptane to evaporate will ppt out pure PIB ? Will this work ?
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[*] posted on 17-12-2015 at 02:22


Quote: Originally posted by underground  
Quote: Originally posted by Laboratory of Liptakov  
I can recommended Poly Isomer Butylene from commerce vulcanize tape. Usually called PIB 19.


Is it the same with Self-amalgamating tape made out of PIB ? By cutting the tape and add it into heptane, then after 2 days filter it and let the heptane to evaporate will ppt out pure PIB ? Will this work ?


Yes, the selfamalgamating/vulcanizing tape does contain PIB, but the amount is rather small and the tape is not cheap. Extracting the pib with heptane or other nonpolar hydrocarbons (regular gasoline works too) will do the trick and you do not need to let the solvent evaporate. Just determine the concentration of the solution (by weighing a sample before and after solvent evaporation) and dose accordingly into your formulation. In fact it is much easier to dose pib in solution as it is a terrible sticky mess when in pure form and trying to remove a chunk from it is quite a bit of work. The PIB from tape has quite a high mw polymer and will definately require the addition of a plasticiser.
Hence you may also look into rodent glues and bird repellants....they are mostly pure pib and sold in bulk quantities for "asocial" prices. The pib from these products usually has a lower mw and is more like a very sticky viscous liquid rather than a sticky solid. Therefore this product may not require any additional plasticisers and one can simplify the compositions even further.




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[*] posted on 17-12-2015 at 04:26


Another approach is to precipitate the PIB with a more polar solvent like acetone. While it requires you to redissolve it when making plastic it's much easier to store in it's pure form.



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