Military explosives tetryl

Picric acid and tetryl, both yellow powders, are no longer used by the military, though do-it-yourself books outline the synthesis of picric acid for the would-be criminal/terrorist and tetryl is still found in old munitions. Most of the military explosives are white-colored powders (TNT is cream colored). Since all, but TNT, decompose upon or instead of melting, they require some sort of compounding in order to be shapeable. They can be blended into TNT in a variety of ratios to make the formulations listed in Table 2.3. They can also be formulated in wax or plasticizer. The use of plasticizer is preferred because less dilution of the explosive occurs. (In the world of performance, TNT, with detonation velocity of 6900 m/s is considered a dilutant of HMX, detonation velocity of 9100 m/s.)... 

Secondary high explosive. Main charge in many military munitions Tetryl... 

Figure A. 168 Tetryl secondary high explosive, military explosive main charge.

The substance possesses quite uncommon and valuable explosive properties. It is more powerful than tetryl, and considerably less sensitive to impact (as sensitive as picric acid). However, its acidic properties limit its use to a great extent. In this respect it resembles picric acid. Even so ethylenedinitramine, under the name of Haleite, has been accepted in the United States as a military explosive. During World War II, production in that country was carried out by the method outlined above according to eqn. (17)... 

Pyrotechnic Items, PATR 2164(1955) 22a) Anon, Military Explosives , Dept of the Army TM 9 1910(1955), 267-73(Identification of expls proplnts) 23)M. Ledercq, MP 37, 507-11 (1955) [Colorimetric detn of Dinitrochlorobenzene in Dinitromethylaniline(an intermediary in prepn of Tetryl) by means of pyridine. With this substance DNCB gives a red coloration, while DNMeA produces a yel color] 24)P. Tavernier M. Lamouroux, MP 38, 65-88(1956) [Colorimetric detns of 26org compds which are considered to be suitable as components of proplnts w ere made by, using Muraour s Reagent (qv)] 25) "The BDH Book of Organic... 

Tetryl is a synthetic compound that does not occur naturally. It was once widely used as a military explosive but is no longer manufactured or used in the United States (see Chapter 4). Effluents and... 

TNT is one of the important materials used for not only explosives for industry but also military explosives for blasting charges. Since metals are not corroded by TNT, it is cast directly into metal cases as well as pressed into warhead shells. In order to gain high explosive characteristics, TNT is mixed with other materials, such as AN, Tetryl, PETN, A1 powder, and nitramine partides121. The mixture of TNT and AN is named Amatol has a TNT/AN mass fraction ratio ranging from 0.5/0.5 to 0.2/0.8. The mixture of TNT and AN is melted and then cast. The mixture of TNT and A1 named Tritonal has a mass fraction ratio of TNT/A1 = 0.8/0.2. The mixture of TNT and HMX is named Octol composed of the mass fraction ratio of TNT/H MX ranging from 0.3/0.7 to 0.25/0.75. The maximum detonation velocity, 8600 m/s, is obtained when the density is 1800 kg/m3. 

All the explosives used for military purposes are in general very insensitive and except in the smallest hand grenades a gaine or booster is used to ensure proper initiation. Such gaines are usually made by compressed pellets of tetryl inserted as a column into a metal tube inside the explosive charge. 

It is an explosive, comparable in impact sensitivity to MF and more brisant than tetryl, as determined by the sand test (52g of sand crushed compared with 47.7g for tetryl or 109% of tetryl). Its thermal stability is low (Ref 4) and for this reason is not suitable for military purposes, but can be used as a base charge in commercial blasting caps (Ref 3)... 

Explosive Mixture of Methanol-Water-Magnesium (or Aluminum). On the basis of theoretical ealens of heat of evolution -t the author concludes that mixts of Mg or Al with water or ales are potentially more powerful expls than the usual military materials with MeOH-Mg giving max gas evolution. The experiments were conducted in bombs or lead enclosures with Tetryl detonators to... 

Explosive Properties Explosion Temperature 300° (Ref 4) Impact Sensitivity 20 to 35 cm vs 25 cm for tetryl 110 cm for TNT, using 2 kg wt (Ref 4) Power, by Lead Block Expansion, 380-400 cc vs 290 cc for TNT or 131 8% TNT (Ref 4) Reactivity - the nitro group in the 3 position is readily replaced Stability claimed to be as stable as TNT (Ref 4) but not found so by others. See also Ref 8 Uses. TeNAns was used in Germany in initiating and other expl mixts (Refs 3 7) but later was found to be too reactive and too sensitive for military or com) application. No information at our disposal about its uses in other countries... 

Aluminum (or Magnesium)-Methanol (or Water) Explosives. According to Shidlovskii (Ref l),mixts of Al and H40(2 3) or Mg and HjO( 1 1) are capable of combustion when subjected to intense heat. The Mg mixture can be detonated with a primer while the Al mixt cannot. The same investigator claimed (Ref 2) that on the basis of theoretical calcns of.heat evoln, mixtsof Mg or Al with H,0 or ales are potentially more powerful expls that the usual military materials, with.Mg-MeOH giving the max gas evoln. The tests were conducted in bombs or lead enclosures with tetryl detonators to set off the mixts of powdered metal and the liquid. All mixts tested were found to be powerful expls with Mg-HjO being most sensitive to shock, while Al-HjO and Mg-MeOH were less sensitive and required a booster... 

Tetryl is a synthetic substance that was used to make explosives, mostly during World War I and World War II. It is no longer manufactured or used in the United States. The chemical name for tetryl is N-methyl-N,2,4,6-tetranitroaniline. Other commonly used names are 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl-N-methylnitramine, nitramine, tetralite, and tetril. Stocks of tetryl are found in storage at military installations and are being destroyed by the Department of Defense. Tetryl was frequently manufactured as pellets or powder. Under certain manufacturing conditions, it could exist in the air as a dust. Tetryl is a yellow, crystal-like solid at room temperature. It dissolves slightly in... 

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