R. Meyer J. Köhler A. Homburg Explosives

Lead Picrate
Lead Picrate
Bleipikrat; picrate de plomb
yellow crystals
empirical formula: C12H4N6O14Pb
molecular weight: 663.3
oxygen balance: –31.4%
nitrogen content: 12.7%
Lead picrate is insoluble in water, ether, chloroform, benzene and
toluene, and sparingly soluble in acetone and alcohol. It is prepared by
precipitation with a solution of lead nitrate in a solution of sodium
picrate and picric acid.
It can be used as an active component in initiating mixtures, e.g. for
electrical squibs in bridgewire detonators. It is more powerful and
more sensitive than W Lead Styphnate.
The unintentional formation of picrates by reaction of picric acid with
the surrounding metals must be strictly avoided.
Lead Styphnate
lead trinitroresorcinate; Bleitrizinat;
trinifroresorcinate de plomb
orange-yellow to dark brown crystals
empirical formula: C6H3N3O9Pb
molecular weight: 468.3
energy of formation: – 417.6 kcal/kg = –1747.2 kJ/kg
enthalpy of formation:
– 427.1 kcal/kg = –1786.9 kJ/kg
oxygen balance: –18.8%
nitrogen content: 8.97%
density: 3.0 g/cm 3
lead block test: 130 cm 3 /10 g
detonation velocity, confined:
5200 m/s = 17000ft/s at r = 2.9 g/cm 3
200