inspector071
Hazard to Self
Posts: 69
Registered: 20-2-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Safe storage of energetics
I just finished recrystallizing some picric acid and am wondering what the safest way to store it, along with various other energetics are. I've read
that picric acid is more sensitive to shock and friction when completely dry, but I also read its not very sensitive anyways and compares to TNT in
that regard (hence why TNP was one of the first practical explosives for artillery shells). I know picric acid should stay away from metals because of
the formation of more sensitive metal picrate salts. Is it still safe to store dry picric acid in a glass bottle? The bottles I have that would
contain it are wide mouth 250 mL ground glass stoppered ones.
What are your methods of making sure specific energetics stay safely contained and protected against degradation?
|
|
|
caterpillar
Hazard to Others
Posts: 472
Registered: 8-1-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Picric acide has an infinite stability. But do not store it using glass- plastic will be better. Glass bottle produces dangerous splinters when and if
an explosion occurs. Plastic will evaporate and burn. Keep explosives away from heat, direct sunlight and statical discharge. Exclude contact of
picric acide with lead and its salts. What is the most important, keep explosives far from primaries and never make these primaries in large amout-
only few grams. There are some suspicious combination- never mix picric acide with AN. This mixture generates trace amout of nitric acide, that may be
cause of some self- accelerating reactions. I met such effect when I kept mixture of R-salt with AN. Violent reaction suddenly began after few days
since that mixture was prepared. As for me, ammonium salt of picric acide is very safe compound. I prefer to use it instead of picric acide.
Women are more perilous sometimes, than any hi explosive.
|
|
|
Goorlap
Harmless
Posts: 29
Registered: 15-11-2011
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Always keep a distance between the energetics and yourself. Use a cardboard box by example.
|
|
|
quicksilver
International Hazard
Posts: 1820
Registered: 7-9-2005
Location: Inches from the keyboard....
Member Is Offline
Mood: ~-=SWINGS=-~
|
|
(Relatively) "safe" storage is specific to each material. Degradation would obviously entail [and contact with] an anti-acid / stabilizer. Check ANY
stabilizer for it's pH. Never store in exposed metallic containers (lids can have a covered metallic construction and be painted to appear as
plastic). In VERY general terms, you are looking for a method to minimize those issues of initiation (Shock, Static, Friction, Heat & so forth).
This is an advantage of a stabilizer such as diphenylamine (which colorates blue to green in contact w/ nitrous acid).
When Picric Acid was commercially mfg it was shipped in 30% water. Mercury fulminate was also packed in water-alcohol. It had also been stored in
multple cloth bags to attempt to prevent drop-impact explosion. Refrigeration was used in a variety of materials. Nitro-benzenes, nitro-amines,
nitro-phyenols, N-tetrezoles, N-paraffins. nitric estors were occasionally combined with polymer (polyester, etc). heavy metal salts (primaries) often
were simply divided to smaller and smaller amounts while limiting crystal growth to lower friction and shock. {Not FREEZING, but refrigeration, to
substantially and continuously lower temperature.}
There is no "one-fix" solution as so much depends on the material. TNT becomes sensitized when exposed to moderate to strong bases, Picric acid is
naturally acidic; yet the azides have an affinity for static initiation, dextrin can inhibit crystal growth. Picric acid is best stored (for long
term) wet, as are many energetics. An effective stabilizer for N-benzenes are materials such as a very small amount of Urea, Betaine, Centrilite, etc
- not alkalies / bases. Avoid storing materials in glass. Never store materials in roughened glass or those with stoppers due to friction. Screw tops
can be wrapped in Teflon Plumber's tape. provide a method reduce friction. To ground oneself prior to touching energetic materials get in an actual
habit of touching a ground prior to contact. Many individuals underestimate the toxicity of some energetic materials (azides for instance have an LD50
close to K cyanide). Wear gloves. Wetting a material also inhibits it from becoming airborne. Primaries should never be stored adjacent to secondaries
obviously.
Safe storage of energetics is a subject very dependent upon the material. While lead poisoning of the body can eventually dissipate, the same is not
true for mercury. The CNS can become permanently damaged. Containers should always be wiped clean and labeled clearly as toxic. There are actually few
energetics that are NOT toxic.
Read more and more on plant-level manufacturing and storage. Even though the lab is a substantially different design from a large-level manufacturing
facility, the amount of useful information is impressive.
Techniques of grounding, handling, & storage are not frequently discussed in laboratory textbooks.
[Edited on 27-3-2012 by quicksilver]
|
|
|
watson.fawkes
International Hazard
Posts: 2793
Registered: 16-8-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
I used to think
that Hg was cumulative, then I learned better. Relevant links are in that post.
|
|
|
inspector071
Hazard to Self
Posts: 69
Registered: 20-2-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Thanks for the nice reply, quicksilver. Just the stuff I'm looking for. I suppose I'll buy a bunch of HDPE wide mouth containers for some of my
powdered energetics. Is NG safe to store in plastic containers? Right now my 10 or so mL are in a very small brown glass bottle.
I plan on procuring some mercury pretty soon to make some fulminate. I'll make sure to keep the mercury secure and my fulminate away from any other
energetics.
|
|
|
Bot0nist
International Hazard
Posts: 1559
Registered: 15-2-2011
Location: Right behind you.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Streching my cotyledons.
|
|
NG needs to be completely neutral and stabilized before storage. See COPAE. Fulminate is stored wet, but be careful storing >1 gram of such
sensitive and chemically unstable primaries. It is best made before use for the amateur, IIRC.
[Edited on 28-3-2012 by Bot0nist]
U.T.F.S.E. and learn the joys of autodidacticism!
Don't judge each day only by the harvest you reap, but also by the seeds you sow.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xpblue/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
