Picric acid secondary explosives

Figure A. 139 Picric acid secondary high explosive.

Secondary explosives (also known as high explosives) are different from primary explosives in that they cannot be detonated readily by heat or shock and are generally more powerful. Secondary explosives can be initiated to detonation only by a shock produced by the explosion of a primary explosive. Widely used secondary explosives include trinitrotoluene (TNT), tetryl, picric acid, nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, nitroguanidine, cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), cyclotetramethylenetetranit-... 

The chemical structures of some common mifttary explosives are shown in Figure 1. These include the nitrate esters such as nitrocellulose (NC), NG, EGDN, and (PETN) nitroarenes such as trinitrotoluene (TNT, CH3—C6H2(N02)3), picric acid (HO—C5H2(N02)3), and 2,4,6-trinitrophenylmethylnitramine (tetryl) and nitramines such as RDX (C3H6N6O6), HMX (C4H8N8O8), and hexanitrohexa-azaisowurtzitane (CL— 20). Of these, only CL— 20 is new , that is, less than 50 years old [3]. Mixtures of oxidizers and fuels, such as AN and FO (called ANFO), are also secondary explosives. 

Secondary high explosive, Main charge-castable explosive Picric acid... 

Tablel.7 Power index values of some primary and secondary explosives (standard-picric acid).

Examples of secondary explosives are TNT, tetryl, picric acid, nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, nitroguanidine, RDX, HMX and TATB. Examples of commercial secondary explosives are blasting gelatine, guhr dynamite and 60% gelatine dynamite. 

Table 5.14 The power index of some primary and secondary explosive substances taking picric acid as the standard...

Belyaev s experimental studies related to liquid secondary explosive materials—methylnitrate, nitroglycol, nitroglycerine—and to secondary explosive materials which are solid at room temperature, but which melt when ignited—trotyl, picric acid, etc. 

TNPU is a military explosive commonly used in explosives compositions admixed with TNT, picric acid, or other low melting secondary explosives. It forms whitish to light pale to light yellowish crystals with a melting point of 207 Celsius (with... 

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