COMMON NAME – Explosive D
NAME – Ammonium Picrate
CHEMICAL NAME – 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol ammonium salt
FOREIGN NAMES – Dinnite (Great Britain), Picrate d’ ammoniaque (France), Ammoniumpikrat (Germany), Dunnit robbanóanyag (Hungary), Picrato ammonico (Italy),
Pikurinsan Ammonia (Japan), Pikrat ammonia, Pikrinovokislyi (Soviet Union), Picrato Amónico (Spain
TYPE – High explosive
DATE OF DISCOVERY – 1841
DATE FIRST USED AS AN EXPLOSIVE – 1869 in explosive compositions
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany
MOLECULAR FORMULA – C6H6N4O7
MOLECULAR WEIGHT – 246
DENSITY – 1.63 g per ml @ 689,500 kPa (100,000 psi)
NORMAL STATE – Solid
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE/COLOR – Yellow to orange crystalline compound
INITIATION – 0.20 g Lead azide, 0.06 g Tetryl booster
SENSITIVITY – Extremely insensitive
STABILITY – Stable, Warm storage at 50o C. (122o F.) causes an increase in sensitivity of the material
DETONATION VELOCITY – 7,150 m/s (23,458 fps)
RE FACTOR (BRISANCE) [TNT=1.0] – 0.99
TOXICITY – Not markedly toxic, may cause dermatitis on contact with skin
MELTING POINT – Decomposes at 265o C. (509o F.)
SOLUBILITY – Very soluble in hot water
APPLICATIONS – PRINCIPLE USES – Filler for armor piercing shells
This Ammonia salt of Picric acid is one of the most stable military explosives. The name Explosive D was initially a code name for what was considered a significant military secret. As the explosive filler for artillery projectiles, Explosive D could not only withstand the shock of firing, but also the great shock of impact. Armor piercing projectiles filled with Explosive D could penetrate over 30 cm (12 inches) of steel armor and still be made to detonate on the opposite side of the impact.
