Styphnate, lead

Lead styphnate (lead salt of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene-1,3-diol, LS, LTNR, tricinate) was, according to the well-established reference [8], first prepared by Edmund von Herz in 1914 by reaction of magnesium styphnate with lead acetate in presence of nitric acid. However, in reality, preparation of LS was published more than 40 years earlier by Stenhouse [28]. This discrepancy in historical data is probably caused by the fact that Herz patented the substance as a component of a detonator primary charge and was therefore the first one who found some real application [29,30]. The preparation route used by Stenhouse is based on the reaction of lead acetate with an aqueous solution of styphnic acid [28]. 

Normal lead styphnate forms a monohydrate with crystal density from 3.06 to 

LS crystallizes as monohydrate in the form of gold, orange, or reddish-brown monoclinic crystals (Fig. 5.1). The reason for the various colors of LS crystals has 

LS is shghtly soluble in water (0.04 g per 100 g of water at 15 °C [10] or 0.09 g per 100 g of water at 17 °C [34]), methanol, pyridine, and amyl acetate it is practically insoluble in ether, acetone, and common chlorinated solvents [34]. Lead styphnate is soluble in aqueous ammonium acetate, formamide [1, 20, 33], acetic acid [28], and ethanolamine (30 g per 100 g of ethanolamine at 17 °C.) It can be precipitated from acetic acid solution by addition of alcohol [28]. 

LS can be kept under water or a mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol until used, without decomposition [40]. LS, unlike LA, does not react with carbon dioxide. Dry LS does not react with common metals wet LS reacts only with 

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Property Mercury fiihninate Lead azide Silver azide Normal lead styphnate DDNP Tetrazene... 

Lead styphnate monohydrate is precipitated as the basic salt from a mixture of solutions of magnesium styphnate and lead acetate followed by conversion to the normal form by acidification using dilute nitric acid (97—99). 

Styphnic acid is a nitrogen compound. Lead styphnate monohydrate was found to detonate at 229°C (444°F), but the course of decomposition could be followed at 228°C and below. 

NOL No 130 Primer Mixture. See under Lead Styphnate, Basic in Vol 5, D1278-L... 

CAHN RG ELECTROBALANCE/SEDIMENTATION ACCESSORY. This app produces a continuous, visible chart record of the sediment weight collected on the balance pan. It has been evaluated for measuring particle size distributions of the primary expls Lead Styphnate, Lead Azide, Tetracene by Hutchinson (Ref 41). 

Four samples of Lead Styphnate were analyzed by dispersing in acet and were found to have average diameters of 15.9 y with a standard deviation of 0.4p. The reproducibility for Tetracene, with average diameter of 35 y, was 2y. Methanol was found to be a satisfactory dispersant for Lead Azide with average particle diameter of 12y... 

Loaded with FA70 Composition Loaded with PA101 contains basic Lead Styphnate. ... 

Loaded with either FA70 or Lead Styphnate compns... 

Ammonium nitrate Oinitrophenol Oinitrotoluol Fulminate of mercury Hexanitrodiphenylamine Lead styphnate Picric acid and picrates Potassium nitrate Sen sol... 

Synonym(s) Initiating explosive lead styphnate lead trinitroresorcinate styphnate of lead Sulfuric acid lead(2+) salt lead (II) sulfate Lead monosulfide lead(2+) sulfide Lead (II) sulfide plumbous sulfide natural galena Lead tetraethide TEL tetraethyllead tetraethylplumbane... 

Property Lead styphnate Lead sulfate3 Lead sulfide3 Tetraethyl lead3... 

Lead styphnate is a poor initiating explosive which when dry is very sensitive to friction and impact, to electrostatic discharge, and to flame. Its main use is as an additive to lead azide to improve flame sensitiveness (see p. 101). When pressed to a density of 2-6 g ml-1 it has a velocity of detonation of4900 m s l. 

The original initiating explosive used by Nobel and all manufacturers for many years was mercury fulminate. This had the disadvantage of decomposing slowly in hot climates, particularly under moist conditions. For this reason mercury fulminate is no longer widely used. In most countries it has been replaced by a mixture of dextrinated lead azide and lead styphnate. In the U.S.A. some detonators are made containing diazodinitrophenol. 

The initiating explosive used must ignite with certainty from the spit of a safety fuse. It must be remembered that the intensity of the spit can be reduced if the safety fuse is not cut squarely and also that the fuse may in practice not always be fully inserted into the detonator. Lead azide by itself is not sufficiently easily ignited to give a satisfactory plain detonator and it is therefore used in admixture with lead styphnate, which is very readily ignited by flame. The proportions of such mixtures vary from 25 to 50% of lead styphnate. Mercury fulminate and diazodinitrophenol are sufficiently sensitive to flame not to require such additives. 

The normal initiating charge in a British detonator is lead azide modified with gelatine. In the case of plain detonators a small proportion of lead styphnate is added to the azide to ensure satisfactory ignition from safety fuse. 

Three beakers containing lead styphnate were being heated in a laboratory oven to dry the explosive salt. When one of the beakers was moved, all 3 detonated. Other heavy metal salts of polynitrophenols are dangerously explosive when dry [1], The desensitising effect of presence of water upon the friction sensitivity of this priming explosive was studied. There is no effect up to 2% content and little at 5%. Even... 

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