The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives - Sciencemadness Dot Org

390 NITROAMINES AND RELATED SUBSTANCES
composition being variable with the density of loading and
involving a more and more complete decomposition of the
explosive. Only an analysis of the gases produced by the
reaction can determine this point, as it also can determine
the actual temperature of the deflagration.
The later studies of Muraour and Aunis 20 have shown that
the temperature of explosion of nitroguanidine may be much
higher than Patart calculated, and have given probability to his
hypothesis that the density of loading has an effect upon the
mode of the explosive decomposition. These investigators found
that a platinum wire 0.20 mm. in diameter, introduced into the
bomb along with the nitroguanidine, was melted by the heat of
the explosion—a result which indicates a temperature of at least
1773°C. They pointed out that nitroguanidine, if compressed too
strongly, may take fire with difficulty and may undergo an incomplete
decomposition, and hence at low densities of loading
may produce unduly low pressures corresponding to a covolume
which is too large and to a temperature of explosion which is too
low. The pressure of 3600 kilograms per square centimeter, under
which Patart compressed his nitroguanidine, is much too high.
Nitroguanidine compressed under 650 kilograms per square centimeter,
and fired in a manometric bomb of 22 cc. capacity, at a
density of loading of 0.2, and with a primer of 1 gram of black
powder, gave a pressure of 1737 kilograms per square centimeter;
compressed under 100 kilograms per square centimeter and fired
in the same way nitroguanidine gave a pressure of 1975 kilograms
per square centimeter, or a difference of 238 kilograms.
In an experiment with a bomb of 139 cc. capacity, density of
loading 0.2, Muraour and Aunis observed a pressure which, correction
being made for various heat losses, corresponded to a
temperature of 1990°.
Assuming that nitroguanidine explodes to produce carbon dioxide,
water, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and nitrogen, 21 assuming
that the equilibrium constant for the reaction, CO + H2O ^
CO2 + H2, is 6, and that the molecular heat of formation at con-
Annales des Mines, 9, 178, 180 (1920); Comp. rend., 190, 1389, 1547
(1930); Mem. poudres, 25, 91 (1932-1933).
21 This assumption however is not true, for powder which contains nitroguanidine
produces a gray smoke consisting of solid decomposition products
and yields gases which smell of ammonia.