35 lines
1.7 KiB
Plaintext
35 lines
1.7 KiB
Plaintext
How To Make Picric Acid
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Method for the preparation of picric acid:
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1. Phenol is melted and then mixed with a concentrated solution of sulfuric
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acid. The mixture is constantly stirred and kept at a steady
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temperature of 95 degrees C., for four to six hours, depending on the
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quantities of phenol used.
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2. After this, the acid-phenol solution is diluted with distilled water, and
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an equal excess amount of nitric acid is added. The mixture of the
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nitric acid will cause an immediate reaction, which will produce heat,
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so the addition of the acid must be performed slowly, but more
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importantly the temperature of the solution must NOT GO ABOVE 110
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degrees C.
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3. Ten or so minutes after the addition of the nitric acid, the picric acid
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will be fully formed, and you can draw off the excess acid. It should
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be filtered and washed in the same manner as above, until the litmus
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paper tests show that there is little or no acid present. When
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washing, use only cold water. After this, the picric acid should be
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allowed to partially dry.
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Picric acid is a more powerful explosive than TNT, but it has disadvantages.
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It is much more expensive to make, and is best handled in a wet 10% distilled
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water form, as picric acid becomes very unstable when completely dry. This
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compound should never be put into direct contact with any metal, since
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instantly on contact there is a formation of metal picrate, which explodes
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spontanteously upon formation.
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