Explosive D, 2.58

R. L. B>e3uteg td,HistoyofNavy Uses of Composition A-3 and Explosive D in Pnfectiles,TR70-1,NAVORD,W3.shmgton,E).C., 1970. 

Ammonium nitrate [6484-52-2] M 80.0, m 210 (dec explosively), d 1.72. Crystd twice from distilled water (ImL/g) by adding EtOH, or from warm water (0.5mL/g) by cooling in an ice-salt bath. Dried in air, then under vacuum. After 3 recrystns of ACS grade it contained Li and B at 0.03 and 0.74 ppm resp. 

Maximite was used in armor-piercing projectiles (Panzergranaten) until 1903 when it was replaced with Amm pic rate, known as Explosive D (Refs 2 3)... 

If an expl is to be used for APS (armorpiercing shell) application, the same requirements as above are pertinent, except that the impact sensitivity should be veiy low (Explosive D, TNT desensitized with wax, etc, would be suitable)... 

The third phase of the Arsenal s development began with an appropriation in 1906 of 165,000 for the erection and equipage of a powder factory. This work was undertaken by Major B.W. Dunn, Jr, the inventor of Explosive D , which replaced Maximite for armor-piercing shell. 

Ammonium Picrate (Explosive D, Dunnite, Ammonium trinitrophenolate). C6H2(N02)3.0NH4 ... 

General Properties. Chemically, Explosive D is not very reactiw. It is decompd into PA and ammonia by strong alkalies. At 0°, it absorbs one molecule of ammonia, but loses this at 26°. When maintained at its mp, it decomps... 

As stated above, Explosive D is remarkable chiefly for its insensitivity to shock, which... 

Explosive D is approx 80% as brisant as TNT, as indicated by sand tests, but fragmentation tests in shell have shown it to be about 95% as brisant. Both expls have about the same rate of detonation at a d of 1.56g/cc hence, approx equality of brisance would be expected. The rate of detonation of Explosive D has been found to be somewhat affected, particularly at lower loading densities, by the granulation of the material, but this effect is not pronounced. Its expl strength is 98% that of TNT, as evidenced by the ballistic pendulum test (see below)... 

As judged by vacuum stability test data (see below), Explosive D is of a very high order of stability. The material has been found to withstand storage at ordinary temps for a period of twenty years with no evidence of deterioration, and at 50° for more than five years without marked deterioration... 

Explosive D should not be exposed to moisture, since w reduces its strength and sensitivity to detonation. Moisture also increases its reactivity with metals such as Pb, K, Cu, Fe, etc, to form extremely sensitive compds. This reactivity requires that all projectiles loaded with this material must have contact areas covered with acid-proof paint... 

When Explosive D is ignited in an unconfined state, it burns slowly, emitting dense black smoke without detonation. When confined and heated to its ignition temp, it will expld. When detonated completely, it emits a dense cloud of black smoke with a sooty deposit and an odor of ammonia. 

The destruction of Explosive D can be accomplished by chem decompn by dissolving the expl in thirty times its wt of a soln made from one p of Na sulfide in six p of w (Ref 13) Preparation. Explosive D is manufd by suspending PA in hot w and neutralizing it with gaseous or liq ammonia. As the picrate is formed, it goes into soln on cooling, it ppts out. An... 

Heat Test % loss 1st 48 hrs, 0.1 % loss 2nd 48 hrs, 0.1 expln in 100 hrs, none 130° Heat Test No expln and not acid in 300 min Toxicity. Explosive D is not markedly toxic, but it discolors the skin and may cause a dermatitis in some cases. Inhalation of the dust should be minimized, and frequent baths and changes of clothes are desirable for those working with the material in quantity (Ref 14)... 

The requirements of the US Armed Forces are described in Military Specification MIL A-166C (6 January 1975) entitled, Ammonium Picrate (Explosive D) It covers one grade of material, representing two classes with respect to granulation. Class 1 material (coarse) is intended for use in the press-loading of shells, while Class 2 (fine) is used for the manuf of Picratol and other compns. The requirements are as follows ... 

The color requirement is intended to cover the unavoidable presence of a small amt of the red form of Explosive D in admlxt with the yel form. The requirement with respect to irritant contaminarit -represents a control of the purity of PA used in manuf when this is made by the dinitrochlorobenzene process. The chloroform soluble impurities requirement also represents a control of the nature of impurities present in PA manufd by a process other than the nitration of phenol ... 

Prior to WWII, armor-piercing projectiles were press-loaded with Explosive D. This required the application of pressures of the order of 10,000 to 12,000psi to successive increments of the charge and was a slow and expensive operation. The development of armor-piercing bombs necessitated the use uf an in sensitive expl that could be melt loaded and for this reason,... 

Molten TNT has little or no solvent action on Explosive D, and consequently, cast Picratol consists essentially of a physical mixt of crystals of the two expls. Its d is 1.61 to 1.63g/cc, and this permits a wt of charge almost equal to that of Explosive D pressed under 10,000 to 12,000 psi. Picratol has the solubility and reactivity chracteristics of its ingredients. It is hygroscopic to the extent of only 0.02% when exposed to an atm of 90% RH at 30°... 

Analytical. The compn of Picratol can be detd by extracting a weighed sample with cold eth that has been satd with Explosive D. The residue is dried and weighed, and this and the loss in wt are calcd to % of Explosive D and TNT, respectively... 

VI. Uses. During the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early part of the present century, PA was widely used as the main expl charge of projectiles and bombs. This is no longer true, Indeed PA per se is hardly used as an expl. Its current limited expl-related use is primarily in the preparation of Explosive D (Ammonium Picrate) and Lead Picrate. It also finds some use as an intermediate in the manuf of dyes. There is some patent literature on the use of PA as a catalyst for polymerizations. For example, PA is claimed as catalyst in polybutadiene polymerizations (Ref 40), and for the prepn of an isobutylene-5-methyl-1,3,6 hepta-trieie copolymer (Ref 38)... 

M. Berthelot Sur la Force des Matieres Explosives d apres la Thermo-chimie, S. 64-67 (1883). 

Vessel explosion, D. D. Williamson Co., Inc., Louisville, Kentucky, 11 April 2003. Reference CSB www.csb.gov/completed invesUgafions/docs/CSB PDWiUiarmon Report.pdf... 

Forbes 1995, "Protecting Petroleum Process Plant Buildings from Vapor Cloud Explosions", D. J, Forbes, American Concrete Institute, Detroit, MI, (to be published)... 

Trinitrophenol (4), commonly known as picric acid (VOD 7350 m/s, d = 1.71 g/cm ), was once used as a military explosive although its highly acidic nature enables it to readily corrode metals. This kind of reaction has led to many fatal accidents, a consequence of some metal picrates being very sensitive primary explosives. The lead salt of picric acid is a dangerous explosive and should be avoided at all cost. In contrast, the ammonium (Explosive D, VOD 7050 m/s, d = 1.60 g/cm ) and guanidine salts of picric acid are unusually insensitive to impact and have been used in armour piercing munitions. 

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