ICAL PROPE S t a b i lify o f Mo non it rometh ane F R E D E R I C K S E L L I N G E R I , H. 6 . F R l E D M A N 2 , W. H . 13AUERa. J . W. EASTE§4,A N D W. C. B U L L 5 CHEMICAL CORPS. ARMY CHEMICAL CENTER, M D .
M o n o n i t r o m e t h a n e i s a powerful propellant. It can be detonated by mechanical impact, gun fire, sudden applicat i o n of high pressure air, and high velocity flow t h r o u g h pipes under certain conditions. T h e ability t o detonate under these conditions places serious restrictions on its use as a source of power for launching buzz bombs. Especially designed equipment for its injection t o t h e reaction chamber will be required t o prevent its detonation i n t h e reservoir and transfer lines. T h e addition of certain materials-for example, gasoline, methanol, o r a m y l acetate-greatly reduces, b u t does n o t eliminate, t h e sensitivity of nitromethane t o detonation.
REWIOIJS papers (1, 2, 3) described the iequiiements of a chemical ptopellant for use in launching buzz bombs. These papers gave the results of an investigation carried out o n the use of hydrogen peroxide and permanganate as a source of power for this purpose. Tlie object of this papei IS to give the iesults of an investigation of the suitability of mononitromethane as a source of power for launching buzz bombs. Mononitromethane can be detonated; it is a poxerful explosive It was apparent to the authors, from a knowledge of woik don.. a t the Guggenheim Aeronautics Laboratory a t the California Institute of Technology, that mononitromethane would be likely to detonate if used in equipnient similar to that used by the Germans for launching buzz bombs with hydrogen peroxide and permanganate. In this equipment shown in Figure 1 of ( I ) , about 20 gallons of liquid are transferred undei high pressure and high speed of flow through pipes, valves, nozzles, etc., to the ieaction chamber in about 0.75 second or less. To investigate the possibility of the detonation of mononitromethane under these and other conditions, a test program was carlied out using three methods to initiate detonation. These methods rere: by impact of a hammer driven piston on the liquid; by impact of high pressure gas suddenly released to the mononitromethane which was free to move through pipes containing closed ends, nozzles, reducers, etc.; and by rifle and machine gun fire as might be encountered during use in a theatre of operations. MATERIALS USED
MONONITROMETHAKE. Three different samples of mononit,roinethane were obtained from the Commercial Solvents Gorp., Peoria, Ill. They v,-ere: A commercial product cont'aining 9.5yo mononitromethane, the remainder being largely nitropropane plus small amounts of nitroethane, acet,ic acid, and water; a commercial product similar to the above, but containing 96Yo niononit,romethane; and a sample of mononit,romethane especially purified by fractionation of the commercial product by the laborat,ories of the Commercial Solvents Corporation. Present address, Georgia School of Technology, Atlanta, Ga. Present address, Zep Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, Ga. a Present address, Rensselaer Polytechnic Insdtute, Troy, N. Y. 4 Present address, Amerioan Cyanamid Company, Bound Brook, N. J. 5 Present address, Commercial Solvents Corporation. Terre Haute, Ind. I 2
This Dample is herein releired t o ab the 1 0 0 sample. ~ ~ These three samples of mononitrnmrthanr exhibited the physical properties given in Table T.
T ~ B LI. E DENSITYA
m
VIVO~ITY OF~ ~IOKOTITROUCTHAK
96% Sample . - 100% Sample Density, T'iscosity, Density, Viscosity, Density, Viscositg g./cc. cp. P.,/CC. og. g./cc. cp. 1.1408 0.749 1.1414 0.750 1.1490 0.748 1.1204 0 625 1.1213 0.627 1.1287 0.625 1.1000 0.533 1.1009 0 534 1.1080 0.533 3 Measured with a 10-mi. densitometer ha\,inr a 3-mn1. bore stem. b The kinematic viscosity was niessured \;ith a, Cannon-Fenske type Ostwald viscometer.
Tpp., C. 10 0 25.0 40.0
96% Sample ._______
. The Guggenheirri Aei,onautics Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology found that for its use it, LTas advantageous to have a catalyst present in the mononitrornethane to aid t,he reaction. Chromic acetyl acetonate was found t o be a suitable catalyst'. The effect of the presence of this and similar niaterials wa,s tested in this work. Cobaltic, acetyl acetonate, 17.GGYc cobalt, (calculated S6.5$&), cupric acetyl acetonate, 24.070 copper (calculated 21.3cI,), and nickcl acet,yl acetonate, 21.247', nickel (calculated 22.8%) were obtained from the Edwal Laboratorjes, Inc., Chicago, Ill. Suodex, 24% lead, Xuodex, 6%, manganese, and Xuodex, 6% cobalt, were obtained from the Kuodes Product's Company, Iiic., EXzabeth, N. J. Several small samples and one large sample (25 pounds) of chromic acetyl acet,onate w r e obtained from the Elect,ro-Mctallurgical Company, New York, 3'. T. They differed slightly in color and crystal size but all contained within O.lo/c of the calculated amount of chromium, 14.87%. Several sainples of chromic acetyl acetonate were prgpared in the laboratory to obtain material for test purposes and to check the following method and proportions for its preparation: Six hundred and seventy grams of chromic nitrate, Cr(lJO3)3(9H,O), (1.67 moles) were dissolved in 500 grams (5.00 moles) of acetyl acetone. The solution was refluxed with 200 grams of water for 3 hours, during which time 300 grams of concentrated ammonium hydroxide (5.00 moles) were added dropwise. Chromic acetyl acetonate separated out as an insoluble purple crystalline solid. It was filtered off with suct'ion, washed with water, and dried in air at 90 O to 95 C. Variat
