26 lines
1.4 KiB
Plaintext
26 lines
1.4 KiB
Plaintext
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Nitric Acid / Nitroethane Explosive.
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It is fairly well known that highly concentrated nitric acid (95+ percent)
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can be used in conjunction with various materials to form a simple but
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powerful 2-component high explosive. Highly concentrated nitric acid, how-
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ever, is not commercially available in many areas and is expensive where it
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is. The following mixture uses 70 percent nitric acid, which is the most
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widely available strength.
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Nitroethane is a common industrial solvent that is quite cheap in bulk. It
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is also safer to use and store than most solvents, including acetone. It can
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be detonated by a #8 blasting cap. Because of the corrosive nature of nitric
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acid, the blasting cap and wires should be coated eith wax or acid-resistant
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epoxy paint. This mixture, although not overly sensitive, should still be
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handled with care. Adding the nitroethane to the nitric acid at the blasting
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area provides maximum safety because nitric acid is not an explosive until
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this is done. When priming de sure the blasting cap is centered in the liq-
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uid. The detonating velocity of this explosive is 6,645 meters per second,
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roughly equivalent in power to TNT. A 1-pound charge is prepared as follows:
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1) Pour 219 milliliters (310 grams) of 70 percent nitric acid into
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a 1-pint acid-resistant container.
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2) Add 144 grams of nitroethane.
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3) Prime and seal with wax or other acid-resistant material.
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4) Blast.
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