Potassium nitrate + sodium acetate
Two very easy to obtain/make chemicals. When mixed together and heated gradually, it melts and then explodes with pretty good power(detonates?). Sort of like yellow powder, but not as powerful. It's still cool though. Does anyone have any information on this explosive mixture? I found it on a web page years ago but can't ever find any info on it anymore. Also, if one of you could explain possibly the chemistry behind this explosion that would be cool.
Just a tiny amount the size of a grain of sand will put out the flame of a lighter.
Just a tiny amount the size of a grain of sand will put out the flame of a lighter.
Comments
I've heard that its main use is as a cleaner burning BP replacement, so it can't be all that energetic in normal reactions. Never made it myself, and it doesn't seem to be a very well studied composition.
Yellow powder does produce fulminating species when heated to a certain temp, so I'd wager a guess that it would stand a better chance of getting ETN to detonate.
Tin metal, preferably using tin foil (real tin, not common aluminum foil), will react with copper nitrate dissolved in water to form a precipitate that is a sensitive explosive when dried. When detonated with heat or friction, it gives off sparks. It can also be made by using cold, very dilute nitric acid to dissolve tin, then adding some sodium carbonate (baking soda might work instead), but not enough sodium carbonate to cause to cause the expected precipitation of stannous (tin II) carbonate.
A solution of tin(II) nitrate cannot be evaporated without decomposition, so the formation of some SnCO3 probably allows the Sn(NO3)2 to form a co-precipitate, since Sn+2 has unpaired electrons and there forms covalent bonds between tin atoms in the crystals. You might also try using copper perchlorate instead of the nitrate, and sodium sulfide instead of the carbonate; a tin double salt of sulfide and perchlorate might precipitate. Stannous oxide SnO is flammable, and a solution of SnCl2 in Ethanol will spontaneosly ignite on contact with air. Tin explosives should possibly be kept away from air.
Another interesting explosive involves heating 60% HClO4 to 110degC and adding bismuth. A brown substance forms on the surface of the bismuth, which explodes when hit by a hammer. This reaction is very dangerous, so it is tried, only use less than 1mL of acid added to tin foil, and do not exceed 110deg heat. They are still not sure what the substance is exactly. Possibly Bismuth in the +1 or +2 state that is protected from further oxidation by the simultaneous precipitation of insoluble BiCl3 which surrounds it.