Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
  • C06B—EXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
  • C06B47/00—Compositions in which the components are separately stored until the moment of burning or explosion, e.g. "Sprengel"-type explosives; Suspensions of solid component in a normally non-explosive liquid phase, including a thickened aqueous phase
  • C06B47/14—Compositions in which the components are separately stored until the moment of burning or explosion, e.g. "Sprengel"-type explosives; Suspensions of solid component in a normally non-explosive liquid phase, including a thickened aqueous phase comprising a solid component and an aqueous phase
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
  • C06B—EXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
  • C06B23/00—Compositions characterised by non-explosive or non-thermic constituents
  • C06B23/002—Sensitisers or density reducing agents, foam stabilisers, crystal habit modifiers
  • C06B23/004—Chemical sensitisers
• • 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

Definitions

• This invention relates to an energetic constituent for incendiary and explosive compositions, to a method for preparing such constituent and to incendiary and explosive compositions comprising such constituent.
• Liquid non-explosive organic nitrates for example alkyl nitrate such as isopropyl nitrate and amyl nitrate, are known energetic and sensitising constituents of incendiary compositions and propellent and blasting explosive compositions. In blasting explosives, for example, they are especially advantageous because, in certain compositions, their use renders the use of a self-explosive sensitising ingredient unnecessary. Explosive compositions comprising liquid non explosive organic nitrates as a sensitising ingredient are described in our co-pending United Kingdom patent application No. 18,831/68.
• liquid non-explosive organic nitrates have tended to segregate from the other ingredients of incendiary and explosive compositions unless effectively thickened and it is an object of this invention to provide a thickened liquid non-explosive organic nitrate for use as an energetic constituent of incendiary compositions and propellent and blasting explosive compositions.
• liquid non-explosive organic nitrate can be advantageously thickened to a clear, consistent gel which exhibits little or no syneresis by mixing it with nitrocellulose and ethyl or methyl centralite (diethyl diphenylurea or dimethyl diphenylurea).
• an energetic constituent for incendiary and explosive compositions comprises liquid non-explosive organic nitrate thickened with nitrocellulose and ethyl or methyl centralite.
• the preferred organic nitrates are aliphatic mononitrates having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms.
• the preferred organic nitrates include n-propyl nitrate, isopropyl nitrate and amyl nitrate.
• the nitrocellulose has a nitrogen content of 11.5 to 12.5% by weight and is such that a solution containing cc. of water has a viscosity of at least 50 poises at 20 C.
• the nitrocellulose may be used dry but it is uusally safer to use nitrocellulose wetted with water or industrial methylated spirit.
• nitrocellulose and centralite are preferably each present in an amount of 1 to 5% by weight of the liquid non-explosive organic nitrate and it is preferred that the weights of nitrocellulose and centralite should be approximately equal.
• the thickened liquid non-explosive organic nitrate is advantageously prepared by suspending the nitrocellulose in the organic nitrate and adding the ethyl or methyl centralite, but, if desired, in the preparation of compositions containing additional ingredients, the nitrocellulose or the centralite, or both, may be incorporated in the additional ingredients before the addition of the organic ni trate.
• compositions containing water it is an advantageous safety precaution to add the nitrocellulose as a slurry in the water.
• an incendiary or explosive composition comprises the aforedescribed energetic constituent.
• an extrudable gelatinous blasting explosive which is readily initiated and propagates reliably in small diameters may be prepared using liquid non-explosive organic nitrate as the sole sensitising liquid, no self-explosive ingredient being required to ensure propagation.
• Such an extrudable composition advantageously comprises (by weight) 18 to 40% liquid non-explosive organic nitrate, 0.2 to 2.0% nitrocellulose, 0.2 to 2.0% ethyl or methylcentralite, 60 to ammonium nitrate and 0 to 10% sodium nitrate. These compositions are of uniform consistency and the liquid organic nitrate does not separate on storage.
• Aqueous slurry explosives capable of propagation in small diameters may also be prepared using the thickened liquid non-explosive organic nitrate of the invention as the sole sensitising ingredient.
• Preferred slurry compositions of the invention comprise (by weight) 10 to 30% liquid non-explosive organic nitrate, 0.1 to 1.5% of nitrocellulose, 0.1 to 1.5 of ethyl or methyl centralite, 5 to 15% water, 40 to 65% ammonium nitrate, 0 to 20% sodium nitrate, and 0 to 20% aluminium.
• Water-thicken ing agents for example guar, gum, with, if desired, a cross-linking agent therefor, for example Zinc chromate, may also be advantageously incorporated in the slurry composition.
• the organic nitrate does not separate from the slurry.
• Aqueous slurries of the invention containing no self-explosive ingredient will propagate detonation when confined under pressures of at least up to 1-00 p.s.i. which is a property not possessed by any practical slurries hitherto made without a self-explosive ingredient.
• Ammonium nitrate powdered explosives may also advantageously incorporate the thickened liquid non-explosive organic nitrate of the invention as the sensitising fuel.
• Preferred ammonium nitrate powdered explosive compositions of the invention comprise (by weight) 7 to 17% liquid non-explosive organic nitrate, 0.07 to 0.5% nitrocellulose, 0.07 to 0.5% of ethyl or methyl centralite and 80 to 92% of ammonium nitrate.
• the explosive compositions of the invention are very insensitive to ignition by friction and impact and are consequently safer in manufacture and use than conventional explosives incorporating self-explosive ingredients.
• a fibrous nitrocellulose having an average nitrogen content of 12.0 to 12.3% nitrogen was used.
• the nitrocellulose was used water-wet with 30% of water but the amounts quoted are the weights as dry.
• ammonium nitrate used in Examples 1, 4 and 5 was granular ammonium nitrate of particle size such that 100% passed a B.S. 16 mesh sieve, 60% passed a B.S. 60 mesh sieve and 5% passed a B.S. mesh sieve.
• a coarse grade of ammonium nitrate was used which was such that 90% passed a B.S. 10 mesh sieve and 30% passed a B.S. 30 mesh sieve.
• EXAMPLE 1 The explosive composition of this example was an extrudable gelatinous explosive of the following composition:
• the explosive was prepared by forming a mixed suspension of the nitrocellulose in the isopropyl nitrate, adding the ethyl centralite to form a clear gel and subsequently incorporating the ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrate into the gel.
• This composition could be initiated by a detonator containing a base charge of 1.0 g. pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN).
• PETN pentaerythritol tetranitrate
• the nitrocellulose was slurried with water, the slurry was suspended in the isopropyl nitrate and the centralite was added to the suspension. The remaining ingredients were then mixed into the resulting gel.
• EXAMPLES 45 The explosive compositions of these examples were ammonium nitrate powdered compositions of the follow- In the preparation of these compositions the nitrocellulose was suspended in the isopropyl nitrate and the ethyl centralite was added to form a gel. The remaining ingredients were then mixed into the gel.
• An energetic constituent for incendiary explosive compositions which constituent comprises liquid non-explosive aliphatic mononitrate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms thickened with nitrocellulose and a compound selected from the group consisting of ethyl centralite and methyl centralite.
• organic nitrate comprises n-propyl nitrate, isopropyl nitrate and amyl nitrate.
• nitrocellulose has a nitrogen content of 11.5 to 12.5% by weight and is such that a solution containing 3 grams nitrocellulose dissolved in cc. of acetone and 5 cc. of water has a viscosity of at least 50 poises at 20 C.
• a method for the preparation of an energetic constituent for incendiary explosive compositions which constituent comprises a liquid non-explosive organic nitrate comprising suspending the nitrocellulose in the organic nitrate and then adding the centralite to the suspension.
• An extrudable explosive composition comprising an energetic constituent as claimed in claim 1, said explosive composition comprising (by Weight) 18 to 40% of the liquid non-explosive organic nitrate, 0.2 to 2% nitrocellulose, 0.2 to 2.0% ethyl or methyl centralite, 60 to 80% ammonium nitrate and up to 10% sodium nitrate.
• An aqueous slurry explosive composition comprising an energetic constituent as claimed in claim 1, said explosive composition comprising (by weight) 10 to 30% of the liquid non-explosive organic nitrate, 0.1 to 1.5% nitrocellulose, 0.1 to 1.5% ethyl or methyl centralite, 5 to 15% water, 40 to 65% ammonium nitrate, up to 20% sodium nitrate and up to 20% aluminium.
• An aqueous explosive slurry composition as claimed in claim 10 comprising guar gum as a water-thickening agent.
• composition as claimed in claim 11 comprising a cross-linking agent to cross-link the guar gum.
• a composition as claimed in claim 12 comprising zinc chromate as a cross-linking agent.
• An ammonium nitrate powdered explosive composition comprising an energetic constituent as claimed in claim 1, said explosive composition comprising (by weight) 7 to 17% liquid non-explosive organic nitrate, 0.07 to 0.5% nitrocellulose, 0.07 to 0.5 ethyl or methyl centralite and 80 to 92% ammonium nitrate.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)
• Air Bags (AREA)
• Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)
• Coloring Foods And Improving Nutritive Qualities (AREA)
• Fertilizers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10160764

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (2)

• 1969
  • 1969-04-25 GB GB2131369A patent/GB1229736A/en not_active Expired
• 1970
  • 1970-04-03 IE IE420/70A patent/IE34084B1/xx unknown
  • 1970-04-07 US US26414A patent/US3684595A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1970-04-14 ZM ZM42/70A patent/ZM4270A1/xx unknown
  • 1970-04-15 ZA ZA702510A patent/ZA702510B/xx unknown
  • 1970-04-17 FR FR7014094A patent/FR2040209A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1970-04-22 OA OA53906A patent/OA03257A/fr unknown
  • 1970-04-23 DE DE19702019808 patent/DE2019808A1/de active Granted
  • 1970-04-24 CH CH618470A patent/CH542798A/de not_active IP Right Cessation

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