Tetramine Zinc Permanganate - [Zn (NH3) 4] (MnO4) 2 – is an ammonia complex salt, which is a relatively weak but also sensitive initiating
explosive. It has an oxygen balance of -4.3 - 8 6% (since the reaction products contain a mixture of both MnO and Mn2O3), and the volume of
detonation gases about 483 l / kg.
Tetramine Zinc Permanganate is unstable in storage, gradually decomposing with the loss of ammonia, resulting in a characteristic odor, accompanied
by self oxidation-reduction. The latter reaction is accompanied by the release of nitrogen, water and ammonia and, because this reaction is
autocatalytic, if not properly stored it can lead to an explosion, both because of the ignition, and just because of the increase of pressure in a
sealed vessel. Keep substance preferably at low temperature in a dry atmosphere, as in the presence of moisture it is less stable than ammonium
permanganate.
The solubility of Tetramine Zinc Permanganate in water is very small - the reaction of its formation is used in analytical chemistry (microcrystalline
microscopy) for the detection of zinc (with a detection limit of 1:7000 ). As a consequence, from a solution of salt precipitated in the form of fine
black powder, shiny needle crystals are formed only with careful crystallization from relatively dilute solutions. In general, due to low solubility,
synthesis of Tetramine Zinc Permanganate is simple.
Required equipment: chemical glasses (or better disposable plastic) , refridgerator (or freezer), and desirable but optional, an electric mixer and
filter.
Materials needed: potassium permanganate, zinc oxide and zinc chloride (or nitrate), ammonium chloride (or nitrate), 10 - 30% aqueous ammonia
(ammonia), distilled water.
Stages of Preparation:
1) In 100 ml of distilled water dissolve 4g KMnO4; to accelerate the dissolution it is recommended to use an electric mixer;
2) to 8 ml 20% aqueous ammonia is added 1.1 g ZnO, and 1.4 g NH4Cl (or NH4NO3); zinc oxide should dissolve completely, instead of zinc oxide and
ammonium salts can take an equimolar amount of the corresponding zinc salts;
3) The prepared solutions were mixed and rapidly cooled before freezing;
Note: The precipitation of Tetramine Zinc Permanganate takes place during mixing of solutions, cooling slows the recovery of permanganate ion and
free ammonia yields a relatively pure product.
4) The bulk of the cold solution is poured, and the residue washed precipitate on the filter, the solution to further remove the filter with the
precipitate on the stack of filter paper sheets, after which the product is loosened as soon as possible and dried at low temperature (optionally
under reduced pressure).
The result is a 4 – 4.5 g of fine black powder (yield of permanganate 85 - 95%), the presence in it a brown powder of manganese oxides indicates
that the product is partially decomposed by high temperature or duration of precipitation and drying.
In principle, the use of dilute (and not contaminated colloidal particles), the starting solution can be precipitated more pure Tetramine Zinc
Permanganate in the form of small brilliant needles, but in this case the output drops sharply.
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