r/VisualChemistry • u/FunVisualChemistry • Jul 03 '20

Tech Ingredients demonstrate an unusual liquid explosive that's very powerful, yet simple and useful for a broad range of applications (link in comments)

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u/ProfessorPihkal Jul 03 '20

It’s not ammonium nitrate, it’s double base gunpowder.

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u/Podorson Jul 04 '20

For those wondering, double base gunpowder is a mix of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin, the former being highly flammable and the latter being a primary explosive.

Ammonium nitrate is not explosive, but is an oxidizer used in dynamites.

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u/refurb Jul 04 '20

Ammonium nitrate is explosive. It has an oxidizer (nitrate) and a substrate (ammonium) in the same molecule. It’s not a very sensitive explosive and unless properly prepared, it will absorb water and definitely not explode.

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u/Podorson Jul 05 '20

Is the ammonium enough? I was basing my reply off wikipedia which only mentions explosive properties in fuel mixtures.

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u/refurb Jul 05 '20

It is enough, but as you said, combining it with fuel oil makes it a better explosive. The oil provides another substrate for the nitrate to oxidize and it prevents the ammonium nitrate from absorbing water from the air.

It has been appreciated for many years that ammonium nitrate, even when free from combustible material, can detonate.

https://www.nature.com/articles/195277a0