Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
O-ethylbenzene is a yellow transparent oily liquid, and its density is 1.126 g/
cm
3
, freezing point is below
40
°
C,
fl
flashing point is 110
°
C, and boiling point is
−
223
224
°
C. It is not combusted even the air temperature achieves 250
°
C, but
-
detonation occurs contacting with
fire. It is corrosive and toxic, the maximum
allowable concentration is 0.005 mL/kg in the air and the LD50 value of oral acute
toxicity test in mice (the lowest dose to cause of half death of animals) is 4.2 mg/kg.
Hence, it is a low toxic substance based on the chemicals toxicity grading standards.
The formulations of different ONEB are:
Nitric acid 90 %, nitric/o = 77.5/22.5 (w/w);
Nitric acid 85 %, nitric/o = 78.5/21.5 (w/w).
Preparation of nitrate-o-ethylbenzene explosives requires adding nitric acid into
ONEB slowly and stirring them as homogeneous mixture. The formulations and
temperatures are given in Table
7.21
.
(2) Basic Properties of Explosives
O-nitrate explosives is a corrosive and homogeneous transparent yellow liquid
with a pungent odor as nitric acid. The density of explosives may vary with the
concentration, weight of nitric acid and temperature, and such information is
indicated by Fig.
7.2
O-nitrate explosives have good resistance of low temperature. Table
7.22
lists
the results of low temperature resistance.
(3) Safety Performance of Nitrate-o-Ethylbenzene Explosives
1. Storage safety performance test: nitrate-o-ethylbenzene explosives were sealed
in polyethylene plastic bottles for 2 months, the physical and chemical prop-
erties were consistent without any change, no decomposition occurred, and the
liquid were still homogenous.
2. Drop test: nitrate-o-ethylbenzene explosives sealed into plastic bottles and iron
pipes were dropped from 100 m height, the bottles broke and the explosives
were splashed out but no explosion occurred.
3. Flame sensitivity test: single and a bunch of four fuses were hung vertically
above the nitrate-o-ethylbenzene explosives, the distance between fuses and
explosives were 5 mm and reduced gradually until they were contacted. Making
Table 7.21 80/20 nitrate explosives preparation and reaction temperature [
50
]
Material temperature (
°
C)
Environmental
temperature
(
°
C)
Highest
reaction
temperature
(
°
C)
Reaction
phenomenon
Concentration
90 % HNO
3
Concentration
98 % HNO
3
60
15
17
About 17
About 105
Intense boiling,
releasing a large
amount of NO
2
-
30
−
2
−
1 to 2
About 100
Same above
15
15
17
About 17
About 85
Gentle boiling,
releasing NO
2
-
