A method for the production of pentaerythritol tetranitrate as well as explosive compositions having improved sensitivity, the pentaerythritol tetranitrate of this type contain

摘要

1,198,756. Pentaerythritol tetranitrate. COMMERCIAL SOLVENTS CORP. 19 July, 1968 [21 July, 1967; 7 Feb., 1968], No. 34489/68. Heading C2C. [Also in Division C1] Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) containing less than 0À005% by weight of HNO 3 , and of improved sensitivity compared to acetone-purified PETN, is made by preparing a solution or dispersion of crude PETN in a liquid or low-melting solid explosive of low sensitivity, washing the solution or dispersion with water to remove HNO 3 , and then separating the other explosive from the PETN. Suitable explosives of low sensitivity are TNT, dinitrotoluene, trimethylol ethane trinitrate, propylene glycol dinitrate, butylene glycol dinitrate, diethylene glycol dinitrate, and dipentaerythritol hexanitrate. The mixture of PETN and the other explosive may be prepared by co-nitration of a mixture of pentaerythritol with dimethylolethane, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, or mannitol. The water used may contain up to 10% of an alkali.