This patent describes desensitized explosives made from pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and hydrated calcium nitrate. PETN is very sensitive to impact and friction, limiting its usefulness. The inventor found that mixing PETN with hydrated calcium nitrate, which melts below 100°C, produces granular or pulverulent mixtures with lower sensitivity but maintained detonability. Two examples are given of mixtures with different ratios of PETN and calcium nitrate that were detonated by small amounts of initiator and insensitive to impact. The mixtures have PETN crystals embedded within the solidified calcium nitrate.
This patent describes desensitized explosives made from pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and hydrated calcium nitrate. PETN is very sensitive to impact and friction, limiting its usefulness. The inventor found that mixing PETN with hydrated calcium nitrate, which melts below 100°C, produces granular or pulverulent mixtures with lower sensitivity but maintained detonability. Two examples are given of mixtures with different ratios of PETN and calcium nitrate that were detonated by small amounts of initiator and insensitive to impact. The mixtures have PETN crystals embedded within the solidified calcium nitrate.
This patent describes desensitized explosives made from pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and hydrated calcium nitrate. PETN is very sensitive to impact and friction, limiting its usefulness. The inventor found that mixing PETN with hydrated calcium nitrate, which melts below 100°C, produces granular or pulverulent mixtures with lower sensitivity but maintained detonability. Two examples are given of mixtures with different ratios of PETN and calcium nitrate that were detonated by small amounts of initiator and insensitive to impact. The mixtures have PETN crystals embedded within the solidified calcium nitrate.
2,257,360 DESENSTAZED PENTAERYTHRETOL TETRA NITRATE EXPLoSIVE Joseph A. Wyler, Alentown, Pa., assignor to Trojan Powder Company, Allentown, Pa. No Drawing. Application February 8, 1940, Serial No. 3,903 5 (Claims. (CR. 52-i) This invention relates in general to explosive compositions and more particularly to desensi of Ca(NO3)2.4H2O and pentaerythritol tetrani trate of following compositions and properties: tized pantaerythritoi tetranitrate explosives. it is well known that pentaerythritol tetrani Grams fulminate trate possesses the disadvantageous property of is of mercury re Standard drop being unusually sensitive to friction and impact. quired to cause hammer sensi PETN Ca(NO3)2.4H2O detonation of tiveness (10 kg. at is also known, although not So commonly, (1’ x 4' car- tridges) weight) that pentaerythritol tetranitrate is very sensitive to detonation even when wetted with an equal Perceg Percent Centimeters weight of water. These factors are the main rea O 00 0. Less thaa .26gms.- 5-0 son why pentaerythritol tetranitrate has not 95 90 5 O Less than 26gns. Less than .26gms-- 5 40 found greater usefulness, although many of its 80 20 Less than .26gns.-- 65 other explosive properties are of a distinctly su 70 60 30 40 Less than .26gns.-- Less than .26 gms.- 95-00 00-- perior nature. 50 50 Less than .26gns.-- 100-- she present invention is concerned with the 15 30 70 .4 gm-------------- 100 20 80 (Partial detona preparation of certain pentaerythrito tetrania tion .65 gm. trate explosive mixtures having low friction and Detonates with 8 gm.)---------- 100 ingact Sensitiveness and at the same time having 0 -, 100 Non-explosive--------------------- excellent sensitivity toward detonation by means 20 of the usual initiators used in the explosives in These results show that the addition of dustry. Ca(NO3) 4H2O have discovered that the hydrated calcium ni applied in the manner described above has a pro traites as Ca(NO3)2.3H2O, Ca(NC3)2.4H2O and nounced effect upon the impact sensitiveness of Ca(NC3) 22:2C, which melt at temperatures less 25 pentaerythritol tetranitrate Without causing a tha. i00 C. can be used in combination with deleterious drop in the detonative Sensitiveness perataerythritol tetranitrate to produce granular toward the proper initiating agents. of pulverilent mixtures of excellent explosive Eacample 2 properties. it order to more clearly point out my inven 30 Ninety pounds of a mixture consisting of: tion, the following examples are given by Way of Perceit illustration: Ca(NO3).--------------------------------- 6.8 Eacclampe ; NH4NO3--------------------------------- 4. HaO------------------------------------- 9. 22 lbs. o Ca, (NO3)24.2C are placed in a steam 35 jacketed graining kettle provided with a suitable 0. stirre, and heated to a temperature above 40° C. are heated to above the melting point (belovy i00° C.) in a suitable steam jacketed graining in order to produce a thin liquid. Then 8 lbs. kettle provided with a stirrer. Then 0 pounds of pentaerythrito tetrainitiate (preferably previ 40 of pentaerythritol tetranitrate are added and the ouisiy heated to above 40 C.) are incorporated mixture stirred with cooling, until 8, grantla. Or into this liquid by stirring the mixture at a ten pulverulent product results. This product was perature above the melting point of the hydrous detonatable by means of about 33 gn. of mera calciu in nitrate. After about fifteen minutes of cury fulminate and was insensitive toward in this stirring the mixture is allowed to cool slowly, 43 pact (a 10 kg. weight did not cause a detonation with further stirring, until a granular or pull when dropped from a height of 100 c.). verulent mixture results. This mixture is then Similarly, may prepare mixtures of penta passed through an 8 mesh sieve to produce my erythritol tetranitrate with any of the hydrated preferred product. calcium nitrates which melt below 100 C. Also, as similar marrier I have prepared mixtures 50 may use mixtures of these calcium nitrates 2,257,860 with other nitrates as NH4NO3, NaNO3, magne are not intended to limit me to the method given sium nitrates, zinc nitrates, aluminum nitrates, therein, for the preparation of my compositions. etc. provided the mixtures melt at temperatures I may, for instance, melt the hydrated-nitrate below 100° C. and above 35 C. mixtures, stir, add the pentaerythritol tetra It should be noted that my pentaerythritol tet nitrate, stir, then allow the molten mixture to ranitrate compositions are not merely mechani flow in the form of a thin stream, and then be cal mixtures in which the individual grains of subjected to a jet of air under high pressure so as pentaerythritol tetranitrates are in juxtaposition to form small globules which upon falling with the individual grains of the hydrated nitrate through the cool air, solidify and form spheres; mixture as would be obtained if finely crystalline O or I may use any suitable process which produces pentaerythritol tetranitrate and finely powdered the product of characteristics described above. nitrates are simply mixed below the melting I; therefore, do not limit myself in any way ex point of the nitrates. My compositions are char cept as indicated in the following claims. acterized by the individual crystals or agglomer I claim: ations of crystals of pentaerythritol tetranitrate . An explosive comprising pentaerythritol being imbedded within the solidified nitrate and tetraritrate and a hydrated calcium nitrate of by the resulting mixture consisting of discrete melting point greater than 35° C. and less than particles which may be spherical, granular or 100° C., said pentaerythritol tetranitrate being pulverulent. These mixtures are capable of be substantially embedded within the hydrated ni ing poured or pressed into molds or used in ad 20 trates and the mixture being composed of dis mixture with other materials commonly used in Crete particles. commercial explosives. - 2. An explosive comprising pentaerythritol My pentaerythritol tetranitrate compositions tetranitrate and Ca(NO3)4H2O, said pentae are useful directly as explosives, as for example, rythritol tetranitrate being substantially em a mixture consisting of 78 parts (by weight) of 25 bedded within the hydrated nitrate and the mix pentaerythritol tetranitrate and 22 parts (by ture being composed of discrete particles. weight) of Ca(NO3)4H2O which is essentially 3. A composition of matter comprising pentae oxygen-balanced, has an unusually high brisance rythritol tetranitrate and Ca (NO3)2.4H2O in the and is adapted for special uses where high shat proportions, by weight, of approximately 78 parts tering ability is required. Compositions contain 30 of pentaerythritol tetranitrate to 22 parts of ing more of the nitrates than is required for an Ca(NO3)2.4H2O, said composition being made up oxygen balance (all C to form CO2, all H2 to . of solid, discrete particles in which the pentae form H2O, the metals to form oxides and the rythritol tetranitrate is substantially embedded nitrogen to be liberated as N2) are particularly Within the Ca, (NO3)2.4H2O. useful for admixture with oxygen-deficient ex 4. An explosive comprising crystalline pentae plosives as nitrostarch, nitrocellulose, trinitro rythritol tetranitrate, hydrated calcium nitrate toluene, dinitrotoluene, dipentaerythritol hexa of melting point between 35° C. and 100° C., and nitrate, tetry, nitrated alkyl lactates, nitrated an oxygen-deficient explosive; Said pentae alkyl glycolates, etc., or mixtures of these with rythritol tetranitrate being substantially em oxidizing agents as NH4NO3, NaNO3, and the like 40 bedded within the hydrated calcium nitrate and or with reducing agents as woodpulp, charcoal, this resulting mixture of pentaerythritol tetra ivory nuts, paraffin, rosin, mineral oils, vaseline, nitrate and hydrated calcium nitrate being Com and the like; or with oxygen-deficient or com posed of discrete particles; and said oxygen-de bustible materials in general. --- ficient explosive being intimately mixed with the It is important to note that I am using the pentaerythritol tetranitrate-calcium nitrate mix term pentaerythritol tetranitrate in a broad ture. manner. Persons familiar with the explosives 5. An explosive comprising crystalline pentae art know that all commercial pentaerythritol rythritol tetranitrate, hydrated calcium nitrate tetranitrate contains some dipentaerythritol of melting point between 35 C. and 100° C., and hexanitrate (often as much as 10-12%) and, at nitrostarch; said pentaerythritol tetranitrate times, other impurities absorbed from the mother being substantially embedded within the hy liquor obtained in the pentaerythritol Crystalliza drated calcium nitrate and this resulting mixture tion. Consequently, the term pentaerythritol of pentaerythritol tetranitrate and hydrated cal tetranitrate is used not only to mean pure cium nitrate being composed of discrete par pentaerythritol tetranitrate, but also the impure ticles; and said nitrostarch being intimately product normally obtained by the various Con mixed with the pentaerythritol tetranitrate cai mercial processes. cium nitrate mixture. wish to emphasize that the examples giver. JOSEPH A WYLER. above are merely illustrative of my invention and