Primary explosives lead styphnate

Thermal decomposition of pure explosives such as primary explosives lead azide, lead styphnate, mercury fulminate etc. [35], monomethylamine nitrate [36] and explosive mixtures RDX + HMX mixtures [37]. 

In early days Alfred Nobel already replaced mercury fulminate (MF, see above), which he had introduced into blasting caps, with the safer to handle primary explosives lead azide (LA) and lead styphnate (LS) (Fig. 1.17). However, the long-term use of LA and LS has caused considerable lead contamination in military training grounds which has stimulated world-wide activities in the search for replacements that are heavy-metal free. In 2006 Huynh und Hiskey published a paper proposing iron and copper complexes of the type [cat]2[Mn(NT)4(H20)2] ([cat]+ = NH4, Na+ M = Fe, Cu NT = 5-nitrotetrazolate) as environmentally friendly, green primary explosives (Fig. 1.17) [3]. 

Primary explosives differ from secondary explosives in that they undergo a rapid transition from burning to detonation and have the ability to transmit the detonation to less sensitive (but more powerful) secondary explosives. Primary explosives have high degrees of sensitivity to initiation through shock, friction, electric spark, or high temperature, and explode whether confined or unconfined. Some widely used primary explosives include lead azide, silver azide, tetrazene, lead styphnate, mercury fulminate, and diazodinitrophenol. Nuclear weapon applications normally limit the use of primary explosives to lead azide and lead styphnate. 

Primary explosives are sensitive to modest stimuli such as heat, spark, or friction application of the correct stimulus will lead to a detonation. The primary explosives used in detonators are typically extremely sensitive but not particularly powerful common examples are mercury fulminate, lead azide, and lead styphnate. In principle, the heavy metals present in most primary explosives should be a good cue for detection however, there are primary explosives that do not contain such elements. 

Figure A. 104 Lead styphnate primary high explosive.

Priming (or Primary) Explosive Compounds or Mixtures (such as Lead D in icro re sore inace and Lead Styphnat )are sufficiently sensitive to impact or friction to explode (or deflagrate), developing a high temperature and producing... 

Examination of nitration acids 167—191 — Examination of finished products propellants, secondary expls and primary expls 192 — Examination of individual expls solid TNT, liquid TNT, Hexogen (RDX), Hexotol (Cyclotol), Hexotonal (RDX/TNT/A1, Torpex), Penthrite (PETN), Bofors Plastic Explosive (BPE), Bonocord, Tetryl, Lead Azide, Lead Styphnate, Mercury Fulminate, Silver Azide and Tetracene]... 

Group A Primary explosives, for example, mercury fulminate, lead azide, basic lead azide, styphnic acid, lead styphnate etc. 

Fig. 49. Diagram of the design and operation of a reactor for the manufacture of lead azide and other primary explosives (tetrazene, lead styphnate and lead picrate).

From the magnesium styphnate solution so prepared, 86.4 1. of liquid was decanted, leaving the lower layer in which the sediment was collected. This solution was heated to 60°C, while stirring, and 22.71. of 34% solution of lead nitrate, s.g. 1.274 (31°Be) was then poured into it during a period of 20-30 min, while stirring continued and the temperature was maintained at 60°C. When the solutions were mixed, the contents of the reactor were cooled as quickly as possible to 25°C when this temperature has been reached the stirrer was stopped and the precipitated sediment of lead styphnate was allowed to settle. The liquid from above the sediment Was then decanted, and the latter was first washed out of the reactor by a stream of water, and transferred onto a cloth filter, where it was washed again as is the custom with other primary explosives. From the above mentioned amounts of raw material about 8 kg of lead azide was obtained. 

Primary explosives have a high degree of sensitivity to initiation through shock, friction, electric spark or high temperatures and explode whether they are confined or unconfined. Typical primary explosives which are widely used are lead azide, lead styphnate (trinitroresorci-nate), lead mononitroresorcinate (LMNR), potassium dinitrobenzo-furozan (KDNBF) and barium styphnate. Other primary explosive materials which are not frequently used today are mercury azide and mercury fulminate. 

Lead styphnate is a weak primary explosive because of its high metal... 

Primary explosives include mercury fulminate [Hg(ONC)2, melting point 160°C with explosion, density 4.2], lead azide [Pb(N3)2, density 4.0], basic lead styphnate (lead trinitroresorcinate), diazodinitrophenol, and tetrazine (a complex conjugated nitrogen compound, melting point 140 to 160°C with explosion). Most priming compositions consist of mixtures of primary explosives, fuels, and oxidants. 

Explosives are classified as primary or secondary, based on their susceptibility to initiation. Primary explosives, which include lead azide and lead styphnate, are highly susceptible to initiation. Primary explosives often are referred to as initiating explosives because they can be used to ignite secondary explosives. Secondary explosives, which include 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-l,3,5-trinitro-l,3,5-triazine (RDX or cyclonite), high melting explosives (HMX) like octahydro-l,3,5,7-tetranitro-l,3,5,7-tetrazine (HMX),... 

Primary Explosives Mercury fulminate Lead azide Silver azide Lead styphnate Mannitol hexanitrate (Nitromannite) Diazodinitrophenol Tetrazene... 

Primary explosives are substances which show a very rapid transition from deflagration to detonation and generate a shock-wave which makes transfer of the detonation to a (less sensitive) secondary explosive possible. Lead azide and lead styphnate are the most commonly used primary explosives today. However, the long-term use of these compounds (which contain the toxic heavy metal lead) has caused considerable lead contamination in military training grounds. Costly clean-up... 

The sensitivity of K2DNABT was tested and was found to be very sensitive to impact, friction and ESD, as all primary explosives are. K2DNABT is more sensitive compared to lead azide, lead styphnate and DBX-1 (as shown in Tab. 1.3a). 

Typical primary explosives are lead azide and lead styphnate (see Fig. 1.17). The latter one is less powerful than LA but easier to initiate. Tetrazene (Fig. 2.2) is often added to the latter in order to enhance the response (sensitizer). (N.B. mercury fulminate used to be used as a sensitizer). Tetrazene is an effective primer which decomposes without leaving any residue behind. It has been introduced as an additive to erosion-free primers based on lead trinitroresorcinate. Unfortunately, tetrazene is hydrolytically not entirely stable and in long term studies decomposes at temperatures above 90 °C. Diazodinitrophenol (Fig. 2.2) is also a primary explosive and is primarily used in the USA. However, the compound quickly darkens in sun-... 

Tab. 2.2 Properties of lead azide (LA) and lead styphnate (LS) in comparison to new green primary explosives.

Last but not least, ecological aspects have become more and more important. For example, on-going research is trying to find suitable lead-free primary explosives in order to replace lead azide and lead styphnate in primary compositions. Moreover, RDX shows significant eco- and human-toxicity and research is underway to find suitable alternatives for this widely used high explosive. Finally, in the area of rocket propulsion and pyrotechnical compositions, replacements for toxic ammonium perchlorate (replaces iodide in the thyroid... 

CDNTA form a white to bluish white powder, crystals, or granules. The crystals are sensitive to shock, friction, and percussion. CDNTA is a powerful primary explosive that demonstrates outstanding potential as a future replacement for mercury fulminate, lead styphnate, lead azide, and diazodinitrophenol for use in blasting caps and detonators. It should not be stored dry, and should be desensitized with dextrose, sulfur, starch, wood pulp, dextrin, or gum Arabic after preparation... 

Styphnic acid is a yellow crystalline solid with a melting point of 176 Celsius. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, ether, and acetic acid. Styphnic acid turns deep yellow on contact with air, so it should be stored in tightly sealed bottles in a cool place. The compound is corrosive and readily forms salts with metal hydroxides and carbonates—many of which are primary explosives, i.e., lead styphnate. Styphnic acid bums rapidly and violently when ignited. For safety reasons, styphnic acid should be stored wet with 10% water. It is used primarily in the manufacture of lead styphnate, but is used with outstanding results in explosives compositions when mixed with nitrocellulose, sodium nitrate, or ammonium perchlorate and... 

The so-called normal material contains the dibasic resorcinate dianion. This material is used mainly as a primary, or initiating explosive together with lead azide. Neither McCrone and Adams (1955) nor Meyer (1987) make any mention of polymorphic behaviour the trimorphic polymorphic behaviour of monobasic lead styphnate has been known for quite some time (Brtin 1934 Bottger and Will 1846 Tausen 1935 Hitchens and Garfield 1941). 

Lead styphnate. Lead styphnate, 13, also known as 2,4,6-trinitro-soreinate, is an explosive compound used to start the ignition-to-detonation process in the explosive sequence. It is stable at elevated temperatures and non-corrosive. The addition of graphite enhances its electrical conductivity in systems designed for electrical initiation. Dry lead styphnate is the most sensitive of the primary explosives to electrostatic discharge [6]. 

Lead styphnate is a weak primary explosive because of its high metal content (44.5 percent) and therefore is not used in the filling of detonators [4]. 

Lead styphnate (Figure 3.17) is a primary explosive (very sensitive) widely used as the ignition element in many hot-wire detonators. In that application it is often mixed with lead azide, another primary explosive. It is also used as one of the major ingredients in modem noncorrosive percussion primers. It is pre-... 

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