Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
  • C06B—EXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
  • C06B45/00—Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product
  • C06B45/18—Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product comprising a coated component
  • C06B45/30—Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product comprising a coated component the component base containing an inorganic explosive or an inorganic thermic component
  • C06B45/32—Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product comprising a coated component the component base containing an inorganic explosive or an inorganic thermic component the coating containing an organic compound
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
  • C06B—EXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
  • C06B31/00—Compositions containing an inorganic nitrogen-oxygen salt
  • C06B31/28—Compositions containing an inorganic nitrogen-oxygen salt the salt being ammonium nitrate
  • C06B31/32—Compositions containing an inorganic nitrogen-oxygen salt the salt being ammonium nitrate with a nitrated organic compound
  • C06B31/34—Compositions containing an inorganic nitrogen-oxygen salt the salt being ammonium nitrate with a nitrated organic compound the nitrated compound being starch or sugar
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S149/00—Explosive and thermic compositions or charges
  • Y10S149/11—Particle size of a component

Definitions

• This invention relates to high explosive compositions containing an explosive ingredient and a water-soluble inorganic salt, and more particularly to ammonium nitrate high explosives having improved properties.
• Ammonium nitrate is the most extensivel used ingredient in present day high explosives of the dynamite type. It has replaced nitroglycerin in increasingly larger proportions for a number of reasons, notably because it possesses high explosive strength, has outstanding safety properties, and is economically attractive. Ordinarily it is used with a small amount of nitroglycerin or other nitric ester as sensitizing agent. While ammonium nitrate explosives have been used with great success, one disadvantage of this ingredient has always been noted, namely that it has a great afiinity for water. Because of this fact, there is a tendency for explosive compositions high in ammonium nitrate to become hard and set on storage in the presence of even small amounts of moisture. This brings about a decreased sensitiveness of the explosive and a lesser degree of uniformity in performance. The water resistance of ammonium nitrate explosives is generally low because of the presence of this very soluble salt.
• An object of the present is an ammonium nitrate explosive of improved water resistance.
• a further object is an explosive relatively high in ammonium nitrate content and possessing a decreased tendency to set after storage.
• a still further object is a high explosive of the semigelatinous type having decreased setting tendencies and of a higher degree of plasticity than similar compositions of the prior art. Additional objects will be disclosed as the invention is described more in detail hereinafter.
• a starch product in a state of sub-division such that the major portion will pass a -mesh screen, capable of forming a cohesive paste or of gelatinization-by means of unheated water, and acting thereby as a protecting agent for the ammonium nitrate against water.
• this starch product is used in an amount less than 10% by weigh and I find a suitable q y to be between 1 and 7%, depending somewhat on the type of ammonium nitrate explosive.
• the starch used In order to be efiective, the starch used must have been previously treated so that it is capable of gelatinization by means of unheated water. This may be accomplished by pregelatinization processes, for example by heating the starch to a temperature of around C., the exact temperature depending upon the amount of water or other material present, whereby a swelling and bursting of the granules takes place, due to the water content of the starch.
• the method of pregelatinization is not a part of this invention. While a cornstarch product such as is obtained in the flaking process will give excellent results, I may employ equally well a pretreated cereal product obtained from wheat or oat kernels, or a starch from any other source. The essential is that the starch product be capable of forming a cohesive paste by means of unheated water.
• the starch product of my invention is intended to function as an anti-setting agent for the ammonium nitrateor other water-soluble ingredient, it is necessary that it be in a relatively fine state of subdivision.
• a coarse product will not accomplish the objects of my invention, and I find it necessary to employ a starch product of the type described of such a degree of comminution that the major portion of it, that is more than 50%, will pass a 60-mesh screen.
• This starch product should not be confused with the coarse, low density starch products of the prior art, commonly employed in low density powders, for the purpose of achieving high stick counts. Such light coarse'material is inoperable for the purpose of the present invention.
• ammonia dynamites which are nitroglycerin dynamites in which a portion of the nitroglycerin has been replaced by ammonium nitrate.
• ammonia dynamites which are nitroglycerin dynamites in which a portion of the nitroglycerin has been replaced by ammonium nitrate.
• ammonia dynamites designated as semi-gelatins.
• These explosives are intermediate between ammonia dynamites high in ammonium nitrate content and the gelatin dynamites. Ordinarily they contain less than 22% nitroglycerin, between 60 and 70% ammonium nitrate, and a very small amount of nitrocellulose as gelatinizing agent for the nitroglycerin.
• the introduction of the nitrocellulose in the form of nitrocotton imparts a certain degree of gelatinization to the explosive, which improves the water resistance and makes these explosives load better in upwardly directed boreholes.
• the presence of finely divided, pretreated starch in such compositions brings about an improvement in two respects; namely, in decreasing the tendency of the explosive to set, and in aiding the working properties in manufacture, that is to say the plasticity.
• a lubricating agent therefor, for example a vegetable oil or a petroleum fraction.
• suitable oils for such use I may cite castor oil, palm oil, soy bean oil, coconut oil, petroleum fractions, and the like. Solid lubricants may also be used.
• the pregelatinized starch product is treated or impregnated with the lubricating agent previous to its introduction into the explosive.
• the oil or other lubricating agent brings about an improvement in plasticity.
• the foregoing discussion and examples show plainly the advantages of my invention.
• the specific embodiments cited have comprised explosive compositions containing both nitroglycerin and ammonium nitrate, and I find particular application for my invention in such compositions.
• the pregelatinized starch product may be used to advantage also in ammonium nitrate explosive compositions in which sensitizing agents other than nitroglycerin have been employed, for example ammonium nitratenitrostarch compositions. It may find application also in explosive compositions containing water-soluble ingredients other than ammonium nitrate, for example sodium nitrate, soluble chlorates and perchlorates, and the like. In other words, it will be efiicacious in all explosive compositions where setting problems may be present, or where protection against water penetration is desired.
• a high explosive composition which comprises an explosive ingredient, a water-soluble inorganic salt, and. a protecting agent for said inorganic salt comprising a starch product capable of forming a cohesive paste with unheated water, said starch product being of such a state of comminution that the major portion thereof will pass a 60-mesh screen.
• a high explosive composition which comprises a liquid explosive ingredient, a watersoluble explosive inorganic salt, and a protecting agent for said inorganic salt comprising a starch product capable of gelatinization by unheated water, said starch product being of such a state of comminution that the major portion thereof will pass a GO-mesh screen.
• a high explosive composition which comprises a liquid explosive ingredient, ammonium nitrate, and a protecting agent for said ammonium.
• nitrate comprising a pretreated cereal product capable of gelatinization by unheated Water, said cereal product being of such a state of comminution that the major portion thereof Will pass a GO-mesh screen.
• a high explosive composition which comprises an explosive ingredient, ammonium nitrate, and a starch product capable of forming'a cohesive paste with unheated water, said starch product being of such a state of come minution' that the major portion thereof will composition comprising a liquid explosive ingredient, ammonium nitrate, and'not more than 10% of a starch product capable of gelatinization by unheated water and of such a state of subdivision that the major portion thereof will pass a GO-mesh screen.
• a high explosive composition which comprises a liquid explosive ingredient, ammonium nitrate, a starch product capable of gelatinization by unheated water and of a state of subdivision such that the major portion thereof will pass a 60-mesh screen, and a lubricating agent for said starch product.
• a high explosive composition of the semigelatinous typ which comprises nitroglycerin; nitrocellulose, ammonium nitrate, a. starch product capable of gelatinization by unheated water and of a state of subdivision such that the major portion thereof will pass a 60-mesh screen, and
• agent ' is a vegetable oil.
• a high explosive composition which comprises a liquid explosive ingredient, ammonium nitrateand a protecting agent for said ammonium nitrate comprising a pretreated cereal product capable of gelatinization by unheated water, said cereal product being of such a state of comminution that the major portion thereof will pass a IOU-mesh screen.
• An explosive composition which comprises a water-soluble inorganic salt, and a protecting agent for said inorganic salt comprising a starch product capable of forming a cohesive paste with unheated water, said starch product being of such a state of comminution that the major portion thereof will pass a 60-mesh screen.
• An explosive composition which comprises ammonium nitrate and; a protecting agent-for said ammonium nitrate comprising a starch product capable of forming a cohesive paste with unheated water, said starch product being of CLARENC E HERMAN WINNING.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
• Acyclic And Carbocyclic Compounds In Medicinal Compositions (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=23105871

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (3)

• 0
  • BE BE461725D patent/BE461725A/xx unknown
• 1939
  • 1939-08-03 US US288131A patent/US2231043A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1945
  • 1945-11-14 FR FR917430D patent/FR917430A/fr not_active Expired
• 1947
  • 1947-07-25 GB GB20066/47A patent/GB637200A/en not_active Expired

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