Acids, Equations & other basic questions

[HVD]

This is a very newbie question but I'm genuinely interested in some basic chemistry to aid me in the practical sense i.e. making substances.

I notice sometimes an explosive nitrate is made using Nitric acid only (i.e. RDX) but other times explosives can be made via concentrated Sulphuric acid and a nitrate (like Potassium Nitrate). Why is this? For instance why can ETN be made with KNO3 and H2SO4 while RDX cannot (I assume as I've never seen it mentioned).

Nitration equations:

I want to figure out how much (proportionally) NH4NO3 I need to add to H2SO4 for ETN synthesis.

So, the initial reaction goes:

NH4NO3 + H2SO4 => HNO3 + (NH4)2SO4

Yes? Now I think I need to balance the equation to figure out how many moles of NH4NO3 to add to a given quantity of H2SO4 ... am I roughly along the right lines here?

Many thanks and sorry for the basic questions.

[The_Duke]

Basic questions we don’t mind answering, but when it is clear that you haven’t searched for the answers yourself first, well that we just don’t like. A member such as yourself, being here for as long as you have, should know this by now... :rolleyes:

These questions you asked have been asked more than once, searching would have turned up the answers you seek.

UTFSE first and you will find that you receive a better response, from myself at least.

[Enkidu]

http://xsorbit29.com/users5/crucible/index.php?topic=122.0

I wouldn't trust all the information in that thread.

You're wrong on one point.

H2SO4 + XNO3 ---> HNO3 + XHSO4 (the persulfate)

[akinrog]

H2SO4 + XNO3 ---> HNO3 + XHSO4 (the persulfate)

It must be hydrogen sulfate (or bisulfate) not persulfate. Persulfate is a term used for peroxidized sulfate salts and acid.

However, if it's dehydrated it forms pyrosulfate (XS2O7).

Regards.

[stephenb25]

http://www.roguesci.org/theforum/showthread.php?t=2758&
This thread is all about why sulfuric acid is used. A simple search would have found this as well as a few others. I think you should research before you ask some simple questions which have easy to find answers.
As far as how much to use you should just work out the equations or if you don't want to do that I can find the link to the program I sometimes use to solve them and send it to you in a PM.

[Enkidu]

It must be hydrogen sulfate (or bisulfate) not persulfate.

Ah, you're absolutely right. My mistake... I somehow mistyped that.