Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Successful Synthesis of 1-Amino-3-nitroguanidine Nitrate

DBX Labs - 7-1-2021 at 15:20

VOD > 9500 m/s secondary explosive with perfect OB : 1-Amino-3-nitroguanidine Nitrate (ANQN)
Here's my video on the synthesis from Guanidine Nitrate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTrBWW_fqe8

Very powerful chemical.
I'm currently working on a way to form the Diaminonitroguanidino Copper (II) Nitrate complex which has a perfect OB as well. Should make a great primary.

Untitled (2).jpg - 1.6MB

[Edited on 7-1-2021 by DBX Labs]

caterpillar - 8-1-2021 at 03:25

Congratulations. I really envy you.

njl - 8-1-2021 at 07:07

Impressive stuff! Will you be posting a write up on this synth?

DBX Labs - 8-1-2021 at 08:49

Quote: Originally posted by njl  
Impressive stuff! Will you be posting a write up on this synth?


Yeah, I might as well. I guess I can do it here starting from Nitroguanidine:

1-Amino-3-Nitroguanidine (ANQ)

50 grams of recrystallized Nitroguanidine is suspended in a beaker of 500 mL water with rapid stirring. Temperature is brought to 55 degrees Celsius.
In a separate solution, 28 grams of hydrazine sulfate is added to 100 mL, 20% NaOH. Once fully dissolved, the freebased hydrazine (not extracted) is very slowly added into the hot Nitroguanidine suspension over the course of 10 minutes.
When the solution once again reaches 55 degrees Celsius, it is held there for 15 minutes. A yellow color should form, quickly turning to a deep orange. This is seen in the video above. After 15 minutes, it is removed from heat with continued stirring, neutralizing the basic solution with concentrated hydrochloric acid to a pH of 7.
The solution is cooled to near freezing overnight and the amorphous yellow product, 1-Aminonitroguanidine-3-Nitrate is filtered off. Yield is 42% based on starting Nitroguanidine. (24.0 grams)

1-Amino-3-Nitroguanidine Nitrate (ANQN)

10 grams of ANQ is dissolved in 25 grams, warm, 40% nitric acid (Occasionally excess acid is required). Yellow solution is then cooled, crystalizing in either colorless blocks or an amorphous powder. Residual acid is neutralized; the product is dried and weighed giving a 65% yield based on starting ANQ. (9.9 grams)


[Edited on 8-1-2021 by DBX Labs]

Brightthermite - 8-1-2021 at 14:42

Great video! Id love to see that comparison done again with a witness plate and some kid of penetrator like AL foil!

Boffis - 8-1-2021 at 14:46

Did you check out this thread?:

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=83736

MineMan - 8-1-2021 at 15:24

The way it burns... there is a LOT of DDT potential. Mixed with 10 percent aluminum....

What do you think Dr. L?

DBX Labs - 8-1-2021 at 16:20

If you are proposing it’s use as a primary additive, do note that it decomposes at 130C.
With it’s perfect OB, you’d be losing energy just adding Al, but it could certainly serve as an additive to boost the DDT of other mixtures. I was thinking maybe TACP/Al/ANQN.

[Edited on 9-1-2021 by DBX Labs]

MineMan - 8-1-2021 at 17:17

Quote: Originally posted by DBX Labs  
If you are proposing it’s use as a primary additive, do note that it decomposes at 130C.
With it’s perfect OB, you’d be losing energy just adding Al, but it could certainly serve as an additive to boost the DDT of other mixtures. I was thinking maybe TACP/Al/ANQN.

[Edited on 9-1-2021 by DBX Labs]


The OB is perfect for this. Yes. The aluminum will help. And the aluminum will burn despite OB=O

DBX Labs - 8-1-2021 at 18:06

Quote: Originally posted by MineMan  
Quote: Originally posted by DBX Labs  
If you are proposing it’s use as a primary additive, do note that it decomposes at 130C.
With it’s perfect OB, you’d be losing energy just adding Al, but it could certainly serve as an additive to boost the DDT of other mixtures. I was thinking maybe TACP/Al/ANQN.

[Edited on 9-1-2021 by DBX Labs]


The OB is perfect for this. Yes. The aluminum will help. And the aluminum will burn despite OB=O

As in a thermobaric detonation of aluminum?
How does it burn without stealing oxygen from the OB = 0 detonation?

Microtek - 25-1-2021 at 11:22

Aluminum will react with the reaction products of the detonation, since it is much more electropositive than hydrogen or carbon. For instance:

CO + CO2 + 2Al -> Al2O3 + 2C

You could also imagine other reactions such as:

2Al + 3H2O -> Al2O3 + 3H2

Adding aluminum will increase the energy output but decrease the VOD and brisance of the mix.

DBX Labs - 25-1-2021 at 13:20

Quote: Originally posted by Microtek  
Aluminum will react with the reaction products of the detonation, since it is much more electropositive than hydrogen or carbon. For instance:

CO + CO2 + 2Al -> Al2O3 + 2C

You could also imagine other reactions such as:

2Al + 3H2O -> Al2O3 + 3H2

Adding aluminum will increase the energy output but decrease the VOD and brisance of the mix.


That is certainly true. MineMan and I have been looking into the potential incorperation of Aluminum Iodate Hexahydrate (AIH) coated aluminum nanoparticles with the ANQN to potentiall boost it's VOD by a substantial margin. According to the paper MineMan sent me a few days back, because the AIH enables aluminum combustion with air along the detonation front, the VOD of TNT was boosted to over 9000m/s at a 15% concentration.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-26390-9

Alternatively, I plan to conduct testing with a similar variant of aluminum that is it's gallium amalgum. Even at minute quantities, gallium can degrade the entire crystalline structure of aluminum metal, weakening it while also destroying the inhibiting oxide layer. This alloy with high concentrations of gallium is known to react with water forming aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen. If I could find the right ratio of aluminum to gallium, I might be able to create an aluminum alloy that is brittle and combustible along the detonation front.
On the same note, this alloy would likely be much more susceptible to atmospheric oxidation as well so storage upon pulverization would be an issue.

MineMan - 27-1-2021 at 20:52

Quote: Originally posted by DBX Labs  
Quote: Originally posted by Microtek  
Aluminum will react with the reaction products of the detonation, since it is much more electropositive than hydrogen or carbon. For instance:

CO + CO2 + 2Al -> Al2O3 + 2C

You could also imagine other reactions such as:

2Al + 3H2O -> Al2O3 + 3H2


Adding aluminum will increase the energy output but decrease the VOD and brisance of the mix.


That is certainly true. MineMan and I have been looking into the potential incorperation of Aluminum Iodate Hexahydrate (AIH) coated aluminum nanoparticles with the ANQN to potentiall boost it's VOD by a substantial margin. According to the paper MineMan sent me a few days back, because the AIH enables aluminum combustion with air along the detonation front, the VOD of TNT was boosted to over 9000m/s at a 15% concentration.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-26390-9

Alternatively, I plan to conduct testing with a similar variant of aluminum that is it's gallium amalgum. Even at minute quantities, gallium can degrade the entire crystalline structure of aluminum metal, weakening it while also destroying the inhibiting oxide layer. This alloy with high concentrations of gallium is known to react with water forming aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen. If I could find the right ratio of aluminum to gallium, I might be able to create an aluminum alloy that is brittle and combustible along the detonation front.
On the same note, this alloy would likely be much more susceptible to atmospheric oxidation as well so storage upon pulverization would be an issue.


Great thoughts! My excitement is living through you! The ANQN should be a premier explosive, and research with aluminum is necessary and important.... microtek is right the VOD will go down.., but the brisance will actually increase if the powder is below 15um and 15 percent or below.

Your idea about the gallium is perfect. I know just what to coat it with. But don’t want to publicly state it here. If there is another way we can communicate.