Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The relationship between the decomposition rate and temperature can be
expressed as the following equation.
V ¼ K
t
þ
C
where V is reaction velocity, mg ammonium/g nitrate ester; t is temperature; K and
C are constants, related to purity and nitration degree of materials, and their prop-
erties, respectively.
For alkyl nitrate esters,
the relationship can be expressed as the following
equation.
log N ¼ a
þ
b
0
:
9932 t
where N is the amount of nitrogen released by 2.5 g nitrate esters at a certain
temperature for 15 min, mg; a and b are constants; t is temperature.
The constants for cellulose nitrate with nitrogen of 13.55 % are a = 8.8842 and
b = 22.86.
Nitrate esters can be autocatalyzed to accelerate the decomposition [
45
]. The
trace nitroxides, which are formed in the decomposition process of nitrate esters,
could combine with trace water to form nitric acids or nitrous acids. Those acids
would accelerate the decomposition reaction of nitrate esters.
5.2 Properties and Preparation of Monohydric Alcohol
Nitrate
Monohydric alcohol nitrate is referred to as the esters with one
-
ONO
2
and alkyl
monohydric alcohol group.
5.2.1 Properties and Preparation of Methyl Nitrate [
46
]
Methyl nitrate, CH
3
ONO
2
, is the simplest nitrate ester and one of the strongest
liquid explosives. It
is obtained from the nitration of methanol as following
equation.
CH
3
OH
þ
HNO
3
!
CH
3
ONO
2
þ
H
2
O
Methyl nitrate, with high volatility and low boiling point, mixes with H
2
O
2
or
dinitrogen tetroxide to be as liquid explosive or liquid propellant. The mixture of
methyl nitrate and gasoline can be as heating agent. For example, the heating power
or the total work capacity of gasoline can be increased by 6.2 % by adding 1
2%
-
methyl nitrate. Methyl nitrate is also used as a foaming agent in gas bags.
