US3496041A

US3496041A - Fusible explosive composition comprising trinitrophenylmethylnitramine and trinitrophenylethylnitramine

Info

Publication number: US3496041A
Application number: US762655A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hans-Joachim Riedl; Walter Sauermilch; Hermann Frank
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-09-28
Filing date: 1968-09-25
Publication date: 1970-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 1987-02-17
Also published as: NO118099B; FR1578692A; BE720426A; GB1188099A; ES357935A1

Description

US. Cl. 14993 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fusible explosive mixture for the preparation of cast or pressed explosives, which cast or pressed explosives have a shape stability of at least 70 C. which comprises from about to 80% of tetryl and from about 90% to of trinitrophenylethylnitramine and cast or pressed explosives having a content of said fusible explosive mixture together with a content of solid explosives selected from the group consisting of hexogen, octogen, nitropentaerythrite and mixtures thereof.

THE PRIOR ART Trinitrotoluene has been utilized more than any other explosive as a fusion component or casting explosive, in admixture with such solid explosives as hexogen (tri methylene trinitramine), octogen (cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine) and/or nitropentaerythrite, for military high-efficiency explosives, due to its suitable fusion temperature of 808 C. and due to its very great operational safety. Its use, however, suffers the drawback that, due to the detonation velocity of trinitrotoluene being ap proximately 6,900 m./sec., the detonation velocities of the above-named casting mixtures remain far below that of pressed articles prepared from hexogen, octogen or nitropentaerythrite.

It has often been tried to replace trinitrotoluene in its capacity as a fusion component. Particularly, it has been tried to employ, for the preparation of casting mixtures, the good explosive properties of tetryl (2,4,6 trinitrophenylmethylnitramine), which does not fuse without decomposition, in casting mixtures admixed with trinitrotoluene or trinitrobenzene. These mixtures melt below 100 C. and can be handled at these temperatures without decomposition. Furthermore, as an explosive, they are clearly superior to trinitrotoluene alone. The operation safety is satisfactory as well.

In spite of these obvious advantages, explosives prepared from such mixtures have yet not been successful, since recently temperature stability of the shaped explosives of up to 70 C. has been required for military purposes. Since mixtures of tetryl and trinitrotoluene or trinitrobenzene have eutectic points of 59 C. or 61 C., shaped explosives which are prepared from such fusion components lose their shape stability at 70 C. or tend to liquation.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is the obtention of a fusible explosive mixture for the preparation of cast or pressed explosives, which cast or pressed explosives have a shape stability of at least 70 C., which comprises from about 10% to 80% of tetryl and from about 90% to 20% of trinitrophenylethylnitramine.

Another object of the invention is the obtention of a cast or pressed explosive having a shape stability of at least 70 C. which comprises a content of a fusible ex- States ate 3,496,041 Patented Feb. 17, 1970 ice DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It has now been discovered that a fusible explosive mixture for the preparation of cast or pressed explosives having a shape stability of at least 70 C. can be obtained from mixtures of tetryl and 2,4,6-trinitrophenylethylnitramine (a homolog of tetryl, sometimes called ethyl-tetryl). These mixtures have the same favorable explosive properties and have the same operation safety as have fusible explosive mixtures of tetryl and trinitrobenzene.

The eutectic point of the fusible explosive mixture of tetryl and ethyl-tetryl is 77 C. and, therefore, this mixture can be employed for military purposes as a casting explosive or fusion component for high-efficiency explosives. If composed suitably the fusion point of the fusible explosive mixtures of the invention is below 100 C. Particularly suitable are mixtures containing from about 10% to 70% of tetryl and 90% to 30% of ethyl-tetryl. Yet, if heated only shortly, mixtures can be used having a content of up to 80% of tetryl.

The fusible explosive mixtures of the invention can be employed alone as casting fillings in place of trinitrotoluene. They are employed particularly well, however, as a fusion component in casting mixtures in combination with hexogen, octogen and/or nitropentaerythrite where they can be utilized as readily as trinitrotoluene. However, their use leads to cast articles with a higher detonation velocity. Of course, the new fusion components can be employed in all casting processes for the obtaining of homogenous castings, which are known in the art, that is, for example, in vacuum casting, centrifugal casting and sedimentation casting.

Perfectly suitable as well are the mixtures of the invention as fusion components for the vacuum hot press method, as is described in German Auslegeschrift 1,186,383.

Upon the preparation of the casting mixtures, small amounts of the solid explosives such as hexogen, octogen or nitropentaerythrite dissolve in the melt of tetryl and ethyl-tetryl without having an adverse effect on the shape stability of the cast articles at 70 C. Furthermore, the fusion components of the invention can be admixed with small amounts of other substances such as, for instance, stabilizers and desensitizing agents. Into a casting mixture of hexogen and the fusion components of the invention, nitropentaerythrite can be worked as an addition. By means of a small addition of high-molecular-weight polymers such as, for instance, casting resins or nitrocellulose, the mechanical stability of the cast explosives of the invention can be increased.

The following examples are illustrative of the practice of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that they are not to be deemed limitative in any respect.

EXAMPLES The following table will further illustrate the invention. Examples 3 to 6 indicate the detonation velocities and impact sensitivities of cast and pressed articles which were prepared for mixtures of tetryl and ethyl-tetryl as fusion components, with or without addition of solid explosives. For comparison, Examples 1 and 2 relate to explosive cast articles with a fusion component consistingof tetryl and trinitrobenzene.

TABLE I a w v Explosive mixture and amounts Fusion component, percent Impact sensitiv- Method of preparation Detonation ity according to Example Solid component Tetryl Trinitrobenzene of the cast explosive velocity, m./sec. Koenen, mkp

1 i 50 50 Vacuum casting"; 7, 400 0. 7 2 Hexogen 60% 16 24 do ..t 8, 200 0. 6

' Ethyl tetryl 3 50 50 do 7, 420 0.5 4 Hexogen 60% 16 24 ldo 8, 100 0.6 5 Hexogeu 66% 17 17 do 8, 200 O. 6 2 3 Vacuum and hot press 9, 080 0. 7

6 Octogen 95% method.

These results show that the mixtures of the invention correspond with those cast explosives which have been prepared with the fusion components of tetryl and trinitrobenzene, in their capacity as explosives. While the cast articles of Examples 1 and 2 melt to 70 0, those cast explosive articles prepared with the fusion component of the invention remain stable at this temperature and do not liquate.

The preceding specific embodiments are illustrative of the practice of the invention. It is to be understood however, that other expedients known to those skilled in the art may be employed'without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A fusible explosive mixture for the preparation of cast or pressed explosives, which cast or pressed explosives have a shape stability of at least 70 C., which comprises from about 10% to 80% of 2,4,6-trinitrophenylmethylnitramine and from about 90% to 20% of trinitrophenylethylnitramine.

2'. A cast or pressed explosive having a shape stability of at least 70 C. which comprise a content of a fusible explosive mixture consisting of from about 10% to 80% UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,160,535 12/1964 Wells 14992 X 3,265,545 8/1966 Murray 149-92 X 3,271,212 9/1966 Riedl et a1. 14992 3,284,255 11/1966 Rothstein et a1 14992 X 3,369,944 2/1968 Berthmann et al. 14992 X CARL D. QUARFORTH, Primary Examiner STEPHEN I. LECHERT, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 14988, 105, 106

UNITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,496 ,041 Dated February 17 1970 lnventofls) Hans-Joachim Riedl et a1 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, after line 8 insert said Sauermilch and said Frank assors. to Wasag-Chemie Aktiengesellschaft, Essen, Germany, a Corporation of Germany.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of November 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM FO-1050l10-69) USCOMM-DC 003 5-P6D U SI GOVIINMINT PRINTING OFFICE 1., OJI-3SI