The Complete Book of Explosives
The Complete Book of Explosives
The Complete Book of Explosives
This book is a compilation of most of the explosive texts on the net. DO NOT
tempt to make any of these explosives if you are unfamilar with the basics of
emistry. There are many safety items and/or procedures that are missing from
is text. The editor and provider of this publication accept no responsiblity
you lose a limb, become burned, or if you DIE.
ACETONE PEROXIDE
at
ch
th
if
(Acetonetriperoxide)
DETONATION VELOCITY
COMPOSITION A-4
Composition A-4 is a pressed explosive that is a mix of 97% RDX and 3% stearic a
cid.
COMPOSITION A-5
Composition A-5 is a pressed explosive that is a mix of 98% RDX and 2% stearic a
cid.
COMPOSITION A-6
Composition A-6 is a pressed explosive that is a mix of 86% RDX and 14% wax.
COMPOSITION B
Composition B is a mix of 59% RDX, 40% TNT and 1% wax. This is a great explosi
ve for shaped charges.
COMPOSITION C
Composition C was the first in the C family of military explosives. This explos
ive may be made by simply kneading the plasticisors into the RDX. The proportion
s are by weight.
RDX
88.3%
Mineral Oil l 11.1%
Lecithin
00.6%
COMPOSITION C-2
C-2 was the second in the C family of explosives and is less powerf[]ul than C3 and C-4 and is TOXIC. This explosives also unstable in storage and should not
be made. The proportions of the explosive are in weight.
RDX
80%
Mononitrotolulene
5%
Dinitrotolulene 5%
Trinitrotoluene
5%
Dimethylformide 5%
COMPOSITION C-3
C-3
lso
ile
NT.
COMPOSITION C-4
Composition C-4 was standardized as the premier military plastic explosive in 1
957. It was developed because C-3 was not powerful enough and lost 1.2% of it'
s mass. C-4 is still in use today. C-4 can be made by mixing 90% RDX with 10% p
olyisobutylen. It has the highest detonation velocity of the C family explosives
.
D.D.N.P.
(Diazodinitrophenol)
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
ty as is lead azide.
These double salts are a basic acetylide group primary explosive. This explosive
has good sensitivity, powder and performance. It is readily made from silver (c
oin), nitric acid and calcium carbide / water or acetylene. This is an easy comp
ound to make. What I found interesting is the fact that this primary is not phot
o active. Most silver salts are light sensitive. This would be a good choice due
to the wide availability to the main ingredients. DDNP, HMTD and mercury fulmin
ate, are better primary explosives but this one has many possibilities. With thi
s primary explosive suitable caps could be made and would be very usable and sto
rage stable as some others in this publication could not.
Dilute 10.1 ml of nitric acid (red fuming) with 6.75 ml of water. If rea
gent or technical grade acid is available (70% strength) this will not need any
water mixed with it to reduce the strength. Simply use 17.5 ml of this 70% nitri
c acid. Place a silver dime or equivalent amount of silver metal in the acid. It
will dissolve leaving a green solution. CAUTION: Avoid the brown gas (nitrogen
dioxide) produced when dissolving the silver metal in the acid. This gas is a de
adly poison and the immediate exposure to the gas and its subsequent damage will
not show up for hours or even days! This should be done with good ventilation!
It may be necessary to heat the liquid to get the coin or metal to completely di
ssolve. Pour this green solution into a tall slender glass jar such as an olive
jar. Place this jar with the green solution in it in a hot water bath and heat.
Crystals will form. The heating is continued until these crystals dissolve again
. In another flask or even a "Coke" bottle, place ten teaspoons of calcium carbi
de into this flask with a cork with a hose passing through a hole in the cork. P
lace the other end of the hose in the tall jar with the solution in it. Remove t
he stopper from the flask or bottle and add one teaspoon of water. CAUTION: Acet
ylene gas is highly flammable and an explosion hazard. Keep away from heat and f
lame as much as possible. The gas should begin generating. Add one more teaspoon
and place the stopper back into the container. The acetylene gas generated by t
he calcium carbide and water should be going through the hose and bubbling throu
gh the solution in the tall glass. Bubble this gas through the solution for 5-8
minutes. Brown vapor will be given off by the liquid as is absorbs acetylene and
white flakes will begin to be formed in the silver solution. Remove the solutio
n from the heat source and allow it to cool. Filter the liquid through a filter
paper (paper towel, coffee filter) into a glass container. Green crystals will b
e caught on the filter paper. These green crystals would then be washed with 45
ml alcohol. The crystals will change from green to white in color and the methan
ol wash will turn green. Place these white crystals on a paper towel and allow t
o air dry. CAUTION: Handle this dry explosive with great care. Do not scrape or
handle roughly. Keep away from flame or spark source or heat and store in a cool
dry place. These salts will perform well and are easy to make. Their stability
is good, which is very important. A good choice of primary explosives.
DYNAMITE
Dynamite is very forgiving in the proportions mixed. Here are 2
Nitroglycerin
12%
Ammonium nitrate
88%
Nitroglycerin
Sawdust
15%
85%
H.M.T.D.
(Hexamethylenetriperoxidediamine)
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
Very Sensitive!!!
H.M.X.
HMX is a military explosive that stand for High Melting Explosive. It can be mad
e by the following procedure.
To a 6-10 liter flask equipped with a stirrer and three dropping funnels
add 785g acetic acid, 13g acetic anhydride and 17g of paraformaldehyde keeping t
he temperature at 44C + or - one degree. Add over 15 minutes a solution of 101g
of hexamine in 165g of acetic acid, 320g of acetic anhydride and 180g of ammoni
um nitrate / nitric acid (prepared by dissolving 840g of Ammonium nitrate in 900
g 99% nitric acid). The hexamine and nitric acid are added continuously in the
correct proportions. The mixture is stirred for 15 minutes. After that add: 3
20g of acetic anhydride and 271g of the ammonium nitrate / nitric acid solution
, then 160g of acetic anhydride is added rapidly. The mixture is stirred for on
e hour. Next 350g of hot water is added, and the mixture refluxed for 30 minut
es, when the temperature is reduced to 20C by adding ice. The precipitate is co
llected and washed with cold water. The HMX is of about 90% purity, and the yi
eld is 95%, if the procedure is carefully carried out.
LEAD AZIDE
Pure lead azide is colorless crystals. Dextrinated lead azide is yellowish whi
te. It is a sensitive high explosive like mercury fulminate, but it is easier to
make, and safer. It is used in detonators, as are fulminates, and it is a more
effective detonator even though it has less explosive power. It can be stored fo
r 15 months at up to 80 without decomposition. It is sensitive to heat, impact, f
riction, and stab action, but less so than fulminates. Crystalline lead azide is
made by slow addition of dilute sodium azide to dilute lead acetate or lead nit
rate with constant stirring. Rapid mixing of more concentrated solutions makes a
morphous lead azide, which is more stable. Dextrinated lead azide is made by add
ing a solution of sodium azide containing a little sodium hydroxide to a soluti
on to a solution of lead nitrate or acetate and dextrin. The precipitated lead a
zide is washed with water and stored like mercury fulminate. It should contain a
t least 20% water when it is stored
LEAD STYPHNATE
DETONATION VELOCITY
Not given
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
te
zine could disable caps. It is a good choice for clandestine manufacture. It wou
ld also be a very good choice for electric cap manufacture. The drawbacks would
be the poor elevated temperature storage and the toxic nature of mercury and sub
sequent problems in loading.
In a pint large mouth fruit jar or 500 ml beaker place either 2 ml water
and 10 ml 90%+ nitric acid. Water first of course. If 70% nitric acid is avail
able then place 11.5 ml of it instead of the 90% in the pint jar. Add 1 1/4 gram
of mercury. Mercury should be available in thermometers, mercury switches and i
n old radio tubes. CAUTION: Mercury fulminate manufacture generates fumes that a
re poisonous and this whole procedure should be done with very good ventilation.
The metal in the bottom of the jar should begin to bubble. If not add water dro
pwise to the solution until it does. A vigorous effervescent reaction takes plac
e and red fumes are produces. They should be avoided as they are very poisonous.
The mercury will all dissolve in the solution. If not heat gently but from a re
mote position until it does. After it is dissolved let it cool somewhat. Warm 90
cc of ethanol (90%+, "Everclear") in a quart jar. Add the metal / acid to this
ethyl alcohol. The reaction should start within 5 minutes. The fumes put off by
this mixture should be avoided. When the reaction is complete the fumes will hav
e subsided and a gray powder will have settled to the bottom. CAUTION: The fumes
produced are poisonous and flammable and they should be avoided as well as fla
me should be kept away as fumes are highly flammable too! Filter the gray powder
out of the liquid. CAUTION: The gray powder is the explosive and shock, frictio
n and flame or heat should be avoided! Contact with the crystals should be avo
ided as the free mercury still poses a health problem! These gray mercury fulmi
nate crystals should be washed with 60 ml ethyl alcohol. Allow the crystals to d
ry by spreading them out gently. These dry mercury fulminate crystals are then
ready to use. This explosive can safely be stored under water and these crystals
could be mixed with 200 ml distilled water and stored until needed.
M.M.A.N.
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
(Monomethylamine nitrate)
6100 M/sec. @ 1.2 G/cc
6600 M/sec. @ 1.4 G / cc
Very insensitive. Similar to T.N.T..
M.M.A.N. is a powerful explosive with 112-120% the power of T.N.T. with a greate
r detonation rate. This explosive is not as sensitive as others in this publicat
ion to primary explosive requiring 2 G. mercury fulminate or 1.25 grams of H.M.T
.D. Methylamine is a basic building block of modern chemistry. It is an intermed
iary for hundreds of more common chemicals. It is easily obtained or purchased c
heaply. Nitric acid does not require highly concentrations with as low as 20% ac
id strength working perfectly. This is a good feature as requirements for explos
ives made with concentrated acids take time to produce and cannot be produced as
fast or cheaply. This explosive is simple enough that it would require little e
xperience and few setups in a lab. This explosive is very hygroscopic. It will a
bsorb its weight in water at a relative humidity of 50% in 21 days. The other dr
awback of this explosive is the fact that it requires larger quantities of prima
ry explosive as other base explosives. Both are acceptable and the hygroscopic n
ature of the salt can be controlled by loading caps on "dry days" of low humidit
y. These caps should also be dipped into molten wax to ensure their "waterproofn
ess". This explosive is best used in a cap made with 3/8" tubing because 5 grams
of this explosive are required. This will give a detonator 3/8" x 2-3/4". This
cap should have the primary loaded first as the base explosive does not need the
high density that the primary needs for maximum performance. Load this base cha
rge explosive to a density of 1.2 G/cc. Higher densities will cause the explosiv
e to become insensitive to the primary explosive. This cap should detonate most
explosives and will be a great deal more powerful than a #10 blasting cap.
Nitrocellulose is a fibrous white solid resembling the cotton or wood pulp cellu
lose from which it was made. It is used in manufacturing lacquers, plastics, gu
npowder, and gelatin type dynamites. I would not tend to trust homemade nitrocel
lulose because it's stability is very dependent on purity. Impure nitrocellulose
explodes whenever it takes notion, not just when you tell it to. There are di
fferent grades of nitrocellulose, depending on the degree of nitration. The bigg
est and baddest is guncotton, made with 25% nitric acid, 64% sulfuric acid, and
11% water. A lesser degree of nitration is achieved with 35% nitric, 45% sulfuri
c, and 20% water. About five parts of mixed acid is used for every part cellulos
e. The cellulose, as dry as possible, is rapidly dunked under the acid and stirr
ed for about 30 minutes to prevent local overheating. Then the product is separ
ated in a centrifuge and dumped into a tub of water. It is purified by washing a
nd boiling it in several changes of water and dilute sodium carbonate until it d
oesn't turn blue litmus paper pink. An alternate method is to mix 125 grams of
potassium nitrate with 160 mL of 98% sulfuric acid. When this is cooled, add 120
grams of cotton. Then proceed as in the previous synthesis. The ingredients in
both syntheses should be as pure as possible. Impure nitrocellulose has been kno
wn to explode during storage. It is much safer if it is stored wet with water or
alcohol. It will work when it is wet, but it is harder to detonate when it cont
ains water. Most smokeless powder contains nitrocellulose. One might use this
powder with nitroglycerin to make blasting gelatin. Smokeless powders usually co
nsist of high nitrated cellulose (guncotton) whereas low nitrated cellulose is p
referable for gelatinizing nitroglycerin. You can buy smokeless powder at sporti
ng goods stores for about $24 a pound. You don't usually need any kind of licen
se. Small unconfined quantities of nitrocellulose can burn quietly, but it can
be easily detonated with a blasting cap. According to Abbie Hoffman, black powd
er is superior to smokeless powder for making bombs. This is generally true, bu
t he really doesn't know anything about the technology of explosives. I heard o
f one guy who pressed smokeless powder into a pipe with a hydraulic jack. I beli
eve he used a cherry bomb as a primer in this pipe bomb. The results were repor
tedly spectacular.
NITROGEN TRI-IODIDE
DETONATION VELOCITY
Not given
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
Very sensitive and extremely unstable! A fly has been kn
own to set off this explosive
This reddish brown or black compound is the least stable explosive in this book.
Sometimes it can be detonated by brushing it with a feather. It is made by ad
ding iodine crystals very slowly to ammonia solution. The precipitated nitrogen
tri- iodide is filtered on filter paper. Then it should be dissolved in ether so
that it will be relatively safe. Be sure it all dissolves because any residue m
ay explode at the slightest touch.
This solution can be painted on things so
that the ether will evaporate, leaving the explosive behind. I heard of a plot i
n the Evabaton, Illinois high school to paint the faculty johns with this explos
ive. I don't believe the plan was executed. A more acceptable trick is to paint
a door casing so that it will bang ferociously when the door is shut.
NITROGLYCERIN
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
This explosive is very sensitive to friction as well as
heat, sparks, and shock.
Nitroglycerin, a dearly beloved explosive to many, is a clear oily liquid. It is
frequently yellow because of impurities. It generally fumes when it's container
is opened. The fumes can cause headaches. It is very unstable to heat and shock
. It is more stable at low temperatures and most stable when frozen, however whi
le in the process of thawing it is most unstable. Under some conditions it may f
reeze in a liable form at 2.2 degrees. This form will gradually change to the mo
re stabile form. Nitro is miscible with acetone, ther, benzene, chloroform, nit
robenzene, acetic acid, and methanol. It mixes very well with nitrocellulose as
in some flashless gunpowders. Nitro can be carried much more safely by mixing 30
parts nitro with 70 parts acetone. Acetone can be evaporated in the air to reco
ver the nitro, or adding lots of water will make nitro separate.
Nitro is made by slowly adding 1 part of glycerine to 4.3 parts mixed ac
id. Do this real slow: a drop at a time. This anhydrous acid is half nitric and
half sulfuric. It is constantly stirred and cooled to 25 or less. This reaction
liberates lots of heat. White fumes may be given off. This is OK, but if red fum
es are evolved the whole charge should be immediately dumped into a large drowni
ng tank full of water. Mistakes are expensive. Keep the acid in an ice bath whil
e you add the glycerine. If the temperature rises to 30, dump it in the drowning
tank. After the addition is complete the mixture is stirred and cooled to 15. Th
e nitro will float to the top and can be removed (carefully). It contains about
10% acid. Mixing it with water removes most of the acid. After settling out the
nitroglycerin is washed additional times with water and 2% sodium carbonate sol
ution until the nitro is neutral to litmus. That is, if it turns blue litmus pap
er pink, keep washing. The purified product looks milky because of water content
. It should turn clear in storage. If it gives off red fumes, it should be dumpe
d immediately, if not sooner.
Nitro is mixed with materials such as kieselguh
r to make dynamite. 40% dynamite is equivalent to 40% nitro and 60% inert materi
al like kieselguhr. Dynamite is relatively safe when it is in good condition, bu
t if it decomposes it may become very dangerous. Common signs of deterioration a
re excessive hardness or softness, discoloration, leakiness, or crystals forming
on the outside of the casing. Nitroglycerin as such is easily detonated with a
teel pan. Heat until it begins to melt. Add in small portions 1300 grams ammoniu
m nitrate. CAUTION: This is dangerous and extreme care should be used in this st
ep.
This mixture could explode if allowed to burn. Water should be. used if a
fire does break out by immediate dilution and quenching
of the reaction mixt
ure!! Keep the temperature of the melt at 120 degrees centigrade. When the add
ition of the ammonium nitrate is complete and the mixture is liquid and at 120 d
egrees C. the calcium cyanamide from above is added in portions over a twenty mi
nute period. This mixtures temperature is held at 120 degrees C. for two hours a
nd then diluted with 720 ml water. This liquid is heated to 95 degrees C. and th
en filtered through several coffee filters or a "fast" filter paper. The liquid
thus obtained is allowed to cool to 25 degrees C. and then the crystals formed a
re filtered out. The liquid is reduced to 1/2 its volume by boiling. It is coole
d and filtered and the crystals obtained are added to those from the first filtr
ation. These crystals are washed with 40 ml cold water. They are then dried in a
shallow pyrex dish while heated in a hot oil bath at 110 degrees C. for two hou
rs. These crystals are guanidine nitrate (90% purity). Immerse a one liter flas
k, containing 500 ml. concentrated sulfuric acid, in cracked ice. This acid is s
tirred until the temperature drops to 10 degrees C. or less. In small portions,
add 400 grams of dry guanidine nitrate to the acid with stirring to keep the tem
perature below 11 degrees C.. When all the guanidine nitrate is dissolved, pour
the now milky liquid into three liters of cracked ice and water. Let this stand
until the nitroguanidine is completely crystallized out of the liquid. Filter th
ese crystals out and dissolve in four liters of boiling water (distilled if pos
sible). Allow to cool by standing overnight and filter the crystals out. Dry the
se crystals by heating gently in a .container placed in a pan of boiling water.
This dried material is then ready to store in a plastic container or to load int
o finished caps.
NITROMANNITE
(Mannite hexanitrate)
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
ter when
(simultaneously). This product is washed with water and then washed with 5% sodi
um bicarbonate / water solution. Then the crystals are washed again with water.
This crude product is then dissolved in boiling alcohol with as much dissolved a
s possible. Place this container in a refrigerator and when chilled filter throu
gh one drip coffee filter. The liquid remaining is reheated and water is added u
ntil a turbidity is seen (churning of the solution). Allow to cool and filter th
e crystals out of this solution. Completely dry the material and it is ready to
use. Could be kept under water for safety until ready to use.
OCTATOL
Octatol is a high performance military high explosive that is mainly used in spe
cial purpose bombs. Octatol is a combination of 70% HMX and 30% TNT. This expl
osive cannot be cast.
PENTOLITE
Pentolite is a military explosive that is used for shaped charges. Pentolite ca
n be made by mixing PETN and TNT in a 50/50 ratio.
PETN
(Pentaerythrite Tetranitrate)
DETONATION VELOCITY
ltered out of the solution through a paper towel or drip coffee filters. This sh
ould yield 220 grams. This product needs purification. Wash these crystals 3 tim
es with water and then wash 1 time with a 5% sodium bicarbonate solution. Wash o
nce more with water and then dissolve the crystals in hot acetone. Let this cool
and the crystals will begin to fall out of solution. Add an equal volume of wat
er to the acetone and the crystals will fall out of solution. Filter these cryst
als out and wash with methanol and let them dry. This PETN can be dried by eithe
r simply air drying for 24 hours or by drying in a hot water bath. These dried c
rystals are ready to use.
R.D.X. (Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine)
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
actual
done while wet.
R.D.X. is a powerful explosive. It is very stable and has good storage propertie
s. It is widely used commercially as a base explosive charge in detonators and b
lasting caps. One gram of R.D.X. in a cap with a primary charge will detonate an
ything a #8 cap will detonate. For the process to make R.D.X. from camp stove fu
el. This process while not simple will produce a good product. This is a superb
explosive and can find many uses. P.E.T.N. is the only explosive that really is
close to being as good a base charge explosive as R.D.X.
RDX is manufactured in bulk by the nitration of hexamine with strong red nitric
acid. You may buy the hexamine in camping stores as a fuel but this may be exp
ensive. The hexamine may also be made by the following process. Take 185 grams
of clear 30% ammonia water and mix it with 500 ml of 36% formaldehyde solution.
Allow the solution to evaporate and then drive off the remaining water by he
ating the crystals in an oven on low for a few seconds. To make the strong red
nitric acid, buy a retort with a glass stopper. In the retort place 32 grams
98% sulfuric acid and either 68 grams potassium nitrate or 58 grams sodium nitra
te. Gently heat the retort and a red gas called nitrogen trioxide. THIS GAS IS H
IGHLY POISONOUS!!!!! ALL OF THESE STEPS SHOULD BE DONE WITH GOOD VENTILATION OR
OUTDOORS. The nitric acid that is formed will collect in the neck of the retor
t and form droplets that will run down the inside of the neck of the retort and
should be caught in a beaker being cooled with ice water. the retort should be h
eated until no more drops collect on the inside of the retort. To make RDX pl
ace 550 grams of nitric acid in a beaker that is in an ice bath. Chill the nit
ric acid until it gets below 15 degrees C. Slowly add 50 grams, in small portio
ns, hexamine, making sure the temperature does not get above 30 degrees C and wh
ile maintaining content
stirring. If the temperature approached 30 degree immediately stop adding the h
examine to the solution. After the addition of the hexamine is complete continu
e the stirring and allow the temperature to fall to 0 degrees C . and keep it th
ere for at least 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes are up take the mixture and po
ur it into 1 L of finely crushed ice and water. The crystals that are formed ar
e RDX and will have to have all traces of acid removed. This can be done by p
lacing them in crushed ice and water and shaking. BE CAREFUL. Filter out the cr
ystals and if acid remains place then in some boiling water and then filtered ag
ain. Continue this until you get a pH of 7 (then they are neutral) These crysta
ls are sensitive and should be stored wet until used or until desensitized.
SEMTEX
Semtex is the Slovacian plastic explosive. It is essentially the same explosive
as Composition C. Semtex can be made by mixing 89% RDX with 11% mineral oil.
T.A.C.C.
DETONATION VELOCITY
Not given
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
e
nd remove the hose from the solution. Reduce the volume of the liquid by pouring
into a shallow pyrex dish. Set this dish under a fan and allow 1/2 the alcohol
to evaporate. Filter (paper towel or drip coffee filters) the crystals that rema
in in the liquid and wash them with 50 ml very cold methanol. Set these aside to
dry for 16-24 hours. CAUTION: Explosive is shock and flame sensitive and great
care should be exercised during handling.
T.E.N.N.
(tetranitronapthalene)
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
Similar to T.N.T.
Not given
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
Very sensitive
TETRYL
(trinitrophenylmethylnitramine)
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
Comparable to T.N.T.
This is one of the better base charge explosives. This is still used in the mili
tary but R.D.X. and P.E.T.N. are replacing it. Generating 4.4 million P.S.I. upo
n detonation this is a good choice. The corrosiveness of the salt to brass limit
s it's use to copper tubing caps manufacture. It also is not made of the most co
mmon ingredients but these could be found if the desire was great enough. Very s
ensitive to primary explosives but not sensitive to normal handling. More powerf
ul than picric acid. Could be an interesting possibility for improvised blasting
caps.
Sixty grams of dimethylaniline is dissolved in 850 grams sulfuric acid (j
anitorial supply) in a quart jar or 600 ml beaker in cool water bath. The temper
ature of the liquid during this addition should be kept below 25 degrees C. This
liquid (solution # 1) is added by pouring into a separatory funnel or similar c
ontainer equipped with a valve. This is done so solution #1 can be metered out d
rop by drop. Solution # 1 is added drop by drop into 515 grams of 70% nitric ac
id in a two liter beaker or pyrex equivalent heated in an oil bath to 55 to 60 d
egrees C. Solution #2 is stirred vigorously, while the temperature is kept at 65
to 70 degrees C.. This addition will require approximately one hour. After all
solution #1 has been added to solution #2, the stirring is continued and the tem
perature is kept at between 65 and 70 degrees C. for an hour longer. The solutio
n is allowed to cool and then filtered with an asbestos filter or Fiberglas filt
er. The solid material is boiled with water for one hour and filtered again on a
paper filter. Water will need to be added from time to time to keep the water l
evel constant. This is then ground while wet and dissolved in benzene (industria
l solvent) and the solution filtered. The filtrate (liquid) is saved and the liq
uid allowed to evaporate. The resulting crystals are tetryl and will be yellow i
n color. These crystals should be of sufficient quality and particle size.
TETRYTOL
Tetrytol is a shaped charge explosive that is a combination of 75% tetryl and 25
% TNT.
T.N.P. (trinitrophenol or picric acid)
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
More sensitive than T.N.T. but not substantially. Me
tals should be coated to ensure the formation of picrate salts. Coating copper t
ubing or rifle cases with urethane plastic spray could prevent this form happen
ing.
Picric acid is a good choice of explosive base charges in caps. Relative perform
ance would be 120% (T.N.T. = 100%). Nitrophenols have been with us for a while.
Their creation from nitric acid and animal horn was the first of these discoveri
es. Nearly 100 years passed before researchers found out it could be made to exp
lode. It is this relative insensitivity of the material and it's good primary se
nsitivity yield many used for this explosive. It is very stable in storage with
samples from late 1800's showing little signs of deterioration. The only reason
that we do not use PA as an explosive in modern ordinance is mostly from a cost
standpoint. PA can be reacted with ammonium hydroxide to form "Explosive D". Thi
s is a superb shaped charge explosive and does find some demolition and speciali
zed munition loading. Brisance is very high for picric acid and it will detonate
easily from the primary explosives in the primary section of the publication. P
icric acid is poisonous and all contact should be avoided. This process uses the
phenol by-product used everyday as an analgesic. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
in it's purified form, sulfuric acid (98%) and sodium or potassium nitrate are
the ingredients. Aspirin is available in any drug store or supermarket. Sulfuric
acid is available at janitorial supply houses and plumbing suppliers. Battery a
cid that has been boiled until white fumes appear will also work. Sodium or pota
ssium nitrate should be available from hobby stores and as stump remover in gard
en stores. The methanol carrier can be found at hardware stores and from janitor
ial supplies. Caution should be used in handling the product of the
process below. Contact should be avoided. Contact includes breathing dust and ex
posure of the skin or any other part of the body. Liver and kidney failure could
result. Use gloves and retire any utensil that will be used in the process.
Crush 100 aspirin tablets. Powder these crushed aspirin tablets. To them
add 500 ml alcohol (95%) This alcohol will dissolve the acetylsalicylic acid in
the aspirin and leave all the pill fillers in solid form in the bottom. Stir th
is aspirin / alcohol liquid for five minutes while warming it gently. Filter the
warm liquid and keep the filtrate (liquid) and discard the remainder. Evaporate
this liquid in a shallow pan in a hot water or oil bath. Collect the dried acet
ylsalicylic acid crystals. Place 700 ml sulfuric acid in the bottom of a gallon
jar. To this acid is added the acetylsalicylic acid crystals from above. This ga
llon jar is placed in an oil bath (electric frying pan would be easiest but flam
e heat will work). This is heated with stirring until all the crystals are disso
lved in the hot acid. The crystals having dissolved will allow you to begin the
addition of sodium or potassium nitrate. This addition is done in three portions
, allowing the acid mixture to cool some between additions. CAUTION: The additio
n of the nitrate to the hot acid will generate nitrogen dioxide which is a deadl
y poison. This step should be carried out with excellent ventilation! This liqu
id will react vigorously, as the 75 grams of either of the nitrates are added to
the solution in this three part addition. The solution should turn red and then
back to the yellow-orange color. After the additions let the solution cool to r
oom temperature while stirring occasionally. Pour this room temperature solution
into 1500 ml of cracked ice and water (1/4 ice). The product will precipitate o
ut immediately as a brilliant yellow compound. Filter through a paper towel or 5
drip coffee filters in a funnel. Wash these crystals with 450 ml cold water. Di
scard the filtrate (liquid remaining after filtering). The yellow crystals are t
rinitrophenol. These crystals need to be dried for 3 hours on a boiling water ba
th or on a 1O5 degree C. oil bath. They are then ready to load into a detonator
as a base explosive. Avoid contact with the yellow composition as it is highly p
oisonous. Wear gloves (vital) when working with this explosive.
T.N.T.
(Trinitrotoluene)
DETONATION VELOCITY
FRICTION SENSITIVITY
t
smokeless. TNT is generally made by the three stage nitration of toluene. Firs
t, mononitrotoluene is made by mixing 100 parts toluene with 170 parts acid. Thi
s acid is 2 parts nitric (70% concentration) and 3 parts sulfuric (100%). They a
re mixed gradually and stirred below 30. When the temperature no longer tends to
rise, the mixture sets for 30 minutes and separates. The mononitrotoluene is sep
arated and 100 parts of it is mixed with 215 parts of acid. (1 part pure nitric
and 2 parts pure sulfuric) The temperature is kept at 60 to 70 while they are slo
wly mixed. The temperature is raised to 90-100 and it is stirred at this temperat
ure for half an hour. Then the mixture is separated. 100 parts of the separated
dinitotoluene is added to 225 parts of 20% oleum (pure sulfuric acid with 20% e
xtra dissolved sulfur trioxide) and 65 parts pure nitric acid. They are heated
to 95 degrees for an hour and then to 120 degrees for 1 hours. After sitting a w
hile, the TNT is separated and sloshed around in hot water to remove acid, and t
hen it is dried. It can be purified by soaking the powder in alcohol or benzene
or a similar solvent to dissolve impurities or by recrystallizing it from the s
ame solvents. TNT and other insensitive explosives should not be stored with sen
sitive explosives which may detonate then.