Manufacturing method 4 – DDNP/Diazodinitrophenol

Its preparation is very simple, needing only picramic acid, sodium or potassium nitrite, and some dilute hydrochloric or 85%+ sulfuric acid. Obtaining the picramic acid will be impossible for most, so I included how it can be prepared in the synthesis section.

Diazodinitrophenol is prepared by a diazotization reaction, this happens when an amine substituient, NH₂, on an aromatic ring, loses its hydrogen atoms and forms a triple bond with another nitrogen atom.

1. Place 120 mL of 5% hydrochloric acid in a 250-mL beaker

2. Then immerse the beaker in a salt-ice bath. Place the ice bath on top of a magnetic stirrer and drop a spin bar in the beaker.

3. Slowly add 10 g of picramic acid to the acid solution while stirring rapidly, monitor the temperature with a thermometer. Be sure there is no sudden rise in temperature. If you do not have a magnetic stirrer, use a stirring rod and stir like the wind.

4. Dissolve 3.6 g of sodium nitrite in 10 mL of water.

5. After the picramic acid has dissolved, add the sodium nitrite solution all at once and continue stirring for 20 minutes.

6. Filter the solution to collect the dark brown crystals that should have formed and wash them with cold water. The diazodinitrophenol thus formed can be used as is, or it can be purified by dissolving in hot acetone then precipitated by adding a large volume of ice water while rapidly mixing the liquid. This treatment will convert the diazodinitrophenol into bright yellow crystals. You will need a graduated cylinder for measuring liquids.

Booster charge – secondary charge (Usually not more than 50 g to 2 kg based on size of tertiary charge)

Picric Acid

A booster containing 100-500 g of Picric Acid is used to amplify the Blasting Cap, which together will set of the 50 kg + tertiary explosive. Picric acid is also one of the components in DDNP so selecting PA as booster and DDNP as the blasting cap reduces the complexity of production and total variety of materials required. The booster is placed in a metal cylinder (coated with a layer of plastic on the inside) and the blasting cap. The blasting cap consists of a smaller metal cylinder (again coated with a layer of plastic on the inside) which is placed inside the larger booster cylinder. Ensure that the cylinder walls have a plastic layer/acid resistant epoxy to prevent the PA or the DDNP from coming in contact with metal.

I’ve added three separate descriptions of a PA production method based on Aspirin (and I’ve chosen not to merge the information) as insights from three sources will teach the reader alternative considerations and aspects of the production process.

Picric Acid (booster), 500 g made to 50 kg+ of secondary explosive

Form: colorless to yellow solid/crystal needles

Melting point: 122,5 C

Boiling point: >300 C (Explodes)

Solubility in water: 14.0 g/L

Insoluble in cold water

Sensibility: Impact: moderate, Friction moderate-low: water sens: moderate

VOD: 7350 M/S

Must be stored wet with at least 10-20% water

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 874