Log in

View Full Version : Lead monoxide


Sonny Jim
June 19th, 2003, 03:31 PM
I have another question. Sorry to ask about a lot of stuff but I'm at the stage where I know just enough about chemistry to realise there is loads I don't know!

I was wondering if you could tell me about lead monoxide. I want to perhaps make some lead picrate, since the procedure is supposedly easy, as an alternative to peroxide explosives for my detonators. (I think the chemists are wondering why I buy so much H2O2)

I have searched the site and the net as a whole, but came up with nothing helpful. Everyone who mentions it seems to already know everything about it, so they only mention the chemical's name in their posts I found.

Can you make it simply by strongly heating lead? That's my best guess.

Thanks all.

kingspaz
June 19th, 2003, 07:40 PM
i haven't actually done it but it can be done by mixing bits of lead with excess KNO3 and heating.

it reacts as follows:
Pb + KNO3 --> KNO2 + PbO

the KNO2 can be used to make DDNP (bitch of a procedure). i think PbO can be bought somewhere. can't remember where though!

i think you could also dissolve lead in nitric acid and then heat the resulting lead nitrate to make PbO. would be a waste of nitric but if you can buy 65% HNO3 easily then its not going to be costly.

Sonny Jim
June 19th, 2003, 08:09 PM
Thanks for the help Kingspaz, it is very much appreciated.

kingspaz
June 19th, 2003, 08:13 PM
i just realise, it may help to actually give you the basics of the procedure. get a can, throw in an excess of KNO3 and the lead powder/pieces. heat the mixture to its melting point and hold at this temperature for 2 hours or so. KNO3 melts at 334*C if i remember correctly. you can use the phase change between solid and liquid to give a rough indication of the temperature. to extract the lead mooxide just allow the mix to cool and break it up. then wash all the KNO2/KNO3 and other solubles out of the mixture. you should just be left with lead monoxide possibly contaminated with metallic lead.

IPN
June 20th, 2003, 05:04 AM
I am in a happy mood so I decided to help a little.:)

I calculated the molar amounts of reactants needed: KNO3 (101g) + Pb (207g) --> KNO2 (85g) + PbO (223g)
As Kingspaz said heat at 334C for 2h, dissolve in water and filter, in the filter is the PbO and in the solution is the KNO2.

knowledgehungry
June 20th, 2003, 12:34 PM
SWIM may try that, because as far as these things go this is the best(most efficient) chemical reaction involving explosives he has seen, normally you only get one useful product but here you get TWO. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Will let you know results after SWIM attempts. SWIM will do a good write up with the procedure he/she used and if it hasn't been covered in a thread I shall probably post his work in the Chemicals section.

vulture
June 20th, 2003, 01:25 PM
BTW, take care when handling the KNO2 solution. Nitrites are poisons and probably carcinogen too. In dry condition it won't be absorbed through the skin but I don't know about the solution.

And ofcourse watch out for lead vapours.

knowledgehungry
June 20th, 2003, 05:49 PM
Will do, Always one for being cautious anyway.