Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
5.2.1.1 Chemical
-
Physical Properties of Methyl Nitrate
Molecular formula: CH
3
NO
3
Chemical structure:
H
H
C
ONO
2
H
Molecular weight: 77.02
Oxygen balance:
10.4 % (CO
2
-based)
Nitrogen content: 18.18 %
Methyl nitrate is a transparent colorless oily liquid with a sweetish odor. Its
density is 1.21 and boiling point is 65
−
66
°
C. The viscosity is lower than water,
-
thus its
fluxility is good. It is miscible with alcohols. About 385 g methyl nitrate can
be dissolved in 100 mL water at 25
fl
C. The dissolving capacity of methyl nitrate for
collodion and high-nitrogen cellulose nitrate is strong. The vapor of methyl nitrate
is
°
C. In closed condition, methyl nitrate
would be vapor exploded by spark or ultraviolet irradiation at 250
fl
flammable and would be exploded at 150
°
-
300
°
C.
5.2.1.2 Explosion Property and Thermal Decomposition of Methyl
Nitrate
The explosion heat of methyl nitrate is 6732.1
6744.15 J/g, higher than nitro-
glycerine by 1.02 %. Its shock sensitivity is lower than nitroglycerine. The
explosion height for 2,000 g falling weight is 400 mm. Its burning velocity is about
four times higher than nitroglycerine, about 0.12 cm/s in a glass tube. Even under
pressurized condition of 0.15 MPa, it can be continuously burnt. At higher pressure,
it will be in pulsation combustion. The combustion will be turned to detonation at
the pressure of 0.4 MPa.
The decomposition of methyl nitrate will cause spontaneous explosion [
47
]
because of the exothermal property of the reaction.
-
2CH
3
ONO
2
!
CH
3
OH
þ
CH
2
O
þ
2NO
2
C[
48
] is different from
the heat-induced explosion. The mechanism of the spark-induced explosion is
shown as the following steps.
Induced reaction
The explosion of methyl nitrate induced by spark at 25
°
1
2
H
2
CH
3
ONO
2
!
CO
þ
NO
þ
H
2
O
þ
