The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives - Sciencemadness Dot Org

TRIMETHYLOLNITROMETHANE TRINITRATE 283
velocities of detonation of several explosives loaded in copper
tubes 10 mm. in diameter and compressed under a pressure of
EXPLOSIVE
Dipentaerythnte hexanitrate
Pentaerythnte tetranitrate
Tetryl
Trinitrotoluene
DENSITY
f 1589
( 1589
f 1712
( 1712
f 1682
(1682
(1615
( 1615
VELOCITY OF
DETONATION,
METERS PER
SECOND
7370
7450
8340
8340
7530
7440
7000
7000
2500 kilograms per square centimeter. He also reports that a
10-gram sample of dipentaerythrite hexanitrate in the Trauzl
test gave a net expansion of 283 cc. (average of 2), and PETN
under the same conditions gave a net expansion of 378 cc. (average
of 3).
Trimethylolnitromethane Trinitrate (Nitroisobutanetriol trinitrate,
nitroisobutylglycerin trinitrate, nib-glycerin trinitrate)
118
This explosive was first described in 1912 by Hofwimmer 119
who prepared it by the condensation of three molecules of formaldehyde
with one of nitromcthane in the presence of potassium
bicarbonate, and by the subsequent nitration of the product.
H
3 >C=O
H
H
H
OH ONO,
CH2
AH,
NO2—C—CHs— OH > NOg—C—CHr-ONOj
CH2
CHj
OH ONO2
118 The first two of these names are scientifically correct. The third is not
correct but is used widely The triliydnc alcohol fioin which the nitric
ester is derived is not an isobutylglycerin In the abbreviated form of this
name, the syllable, nib, stands for nitro-iso-butyl and is to be pronounced,
not spelled out like TNT and PETN
119 Z ges. Schiess- u. Sprcngstoffw, 7, 43 (1912). Biit. Pat. 6447 (1924).
Stettbacher, Nitrocellulose, 5, 159, 181, 203 (1935).