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NITROGUANIDINE
1. GENERAL PROPERTIES
1.1 Chemical and Physical Description. Nitroguanidine (NQ), CH,N,02, is a
colorless polycrystalline material, generally in the form of a low-density matted
structure. It is also known as Picrite.
1.2 Common Use. NQ is used extensively as an ingredient in gun propellants,
because the combustion products of such propellants are less erosive than those of
other propellants of equivalent energy.
2. MANUFACTURE AND PROCUREMENT
2.1 Manufacture.‘v2 The procedures used to produce NQ are the British aqueous
fusion (BAF) and the urea/ammonium nitrate processes. The United States uses a
modified BAF process. Calcium carbide is reacted with nitrogen to form calcium
cyanamide. The calcium cyanamide is reacted with carbon dioxide and water to
form cyanamide, This is reacted with ammonium nitrate to form guanidine nitrate
(GUN). GUN is reacted with 40 wt% oleum to form nitroguanidine. Final purifica-
tion of the NQ is by crystallization from water.
2.2 Procurement, NQ is purchased from the US Army Armament Readiness
Command under military specification MIL-N-494A, dated January 31,1964.
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2.3 Shipping.a NQ is shipped dry as a Class A explosive.
2.4 Storage.‘NQ is stored dry in Compatibility Group D, Storage Class 1.1.