ammoniumnitrate and magnesium

[M.explosiv]

Hi folks, first of all I have to excuse for my bad english. I am a german hobby chemist, division easy availabel high explosives. I began reading this forum a few weeks ago and I find it very interesting. Such a forum is not thinkable in germany! Now my question: Has any one of you experience with mixing magnesium and ammoniumnitrate in the molten condition? The density of both is almost equal, they should mix wounderful. If this heat is solid again it should be a wonderful high explosive with a density of nearly 1,7 g/cm³. Another advantage is that one can cast it in any form.

M.explosiv

[wantsomfet]

I don't think it would be wise to mix magnesium with *molten* NH4NO3. It'll surely react immediately.

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[Rhadon]

Could you tell me why such a forum wouldn't be possible in Germany? I don't think it would be a bad idea to create a forum like this with German as the main language.

[Nitro]

Some guys have made an german forum but they have deleted it you know cops ..........

[HNIW]

I think that the main reason why such forums are in English is that it is universal language. If this forum would be in German I wouldn't read it and there would be few people who could reply to your questions.
You shouldn't mix ammonium nitrate with Mg powder because it can explode without any reason use Al powder instead. It will make the solution easier to set off.

[Lagen]

Cast ammonium nitrate will be VERY hard to detonate... Use a few kg HE booster http://theforum.virtualave.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif Another disadvantage of cast AN is that AN exists in seven different crystalline modifications. Unfortunately, some transitions occur at -18°C, 32.1°C and 84.2°C. Especially nasty is the III->IV transition at 32°C, which may cause your charge to crack and become worthless because of absorbed moisture, cracks cause incomplete detonation...

[This message has been edited by Lagen (edited July 20, 2001).]

[cutefix]

Magnesium and ammonium nitrate could possibly be made into an explosive at the proper ratio,in powdered composition which can be set off by a strong blasting cap preferably with additional booster.In molten condition if it can be stabilized will not detonate ,so a cast explosive of this kind is useless.Even as powders it will blend properly because of similar density and as long as the particle size of both materials have minimum size difference.If you can add fuel such as finely divided carbon(lamblack),it would be better.

[PHILOU Zrealone]

The main problem is that Mg is more reactive than Al wich is already risky to use with AN in the case of moist cristals (hygroscopicity is high).Mg to be properly mixed has to be pulverulent; under that form it is pyrophoric and even water can make it burn.

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[cutefix]

Magnesium in granulated form can be used even in flash powder,and I have tried it in the lab long ago.However I had not tested moistening it with water....so I cannot vouch on that.