In the 17th century, Johann Kunkel first got mercury fulminate.Recipe for the production of this compound is described in his book, which was published after the death of an alchemist.After the discovery of mercury fulminate not used before 1800.The recipe for the compound was discovered by Edward Howard.Scientists have studied many of its properties.The exact chemical composition of the compounds identified Liebig about 1824.
It should be noted that prior to this event in 1807, the year Forsyth patented the use of the substance as the initiator of detonation of black powder.In 1836, the year it was created a gun that uses percussion igniter.Shock igniters in Russia began to produce from 1843, the year.Nobel in 1867 invented the blasting cap, which has been used with success in the detonation of dynamite.
mercury fulminate is fairly toxic compound.But the main danger of it turned out to be not toxic.
structure as rattlesnakes salt was finally deciphered by 1890.These compounds in science became more strict name - fulminates ("lightning").
For years, mercury fulminate inflamed gunpowder and dynamite charges.However, in recent years it has been used, and other compounds.For example, new initiating explosives - teneres and lead azide.This latter is, according to scientists, the main today.
mercury fulminate "afraid" of water.Moreover, experience shows that it is not always able to trigger the activity of the secondary connection and often require additional detonator.
mercury fulminate represented as gray or white crystalline powder.In the dry state exhibits high sensitivity to shock, fire, abrasion and other influences.The explosion occurs when exposed to the compound of concentrated sulfuric acid.Decomposition mercury fulminate cause strong acids, as well as boiling and the action of alkaline salts.
Formula mercury (rattlesnake) Hg (CNO) 2.From
aqueous crystallization hemihydrate yellow color (due to the presence of impurities hydrolysis product).Not has good solubility in ethanol.
White modification exhibits a significant resistance to thermal and chemical resistance.Susceptible to sunlight - during irradiation starts to get dark, and in the surface layers formed mercury.
burning rate of the order of 15.5 mm / s.There mercury fulminate active reaction with magnesium or aluminum, especially in the presence of moisture.It can cause an explosion.In this regard, there should be no contact mercury fulminate and these metals.
If dry compound shows quite slow reaction with copper, silver, cadmium.Regardless of the state (wet or dry) does not react with the steel or iron.
When shocks compound decomposes without exploding.Under the conditions of humidity of about thirty percent completely loses its sensitivity.At a temperature of more than fifty degrees begins slow decomposition of mercury fulminate.This occurs even in dry conditions.At a temperature of 90-95 degrees for a few days compound decomposes completely.This produces a yellow non-explosive material.When adding the compound to 10% of ethyl compound exhibits stability at temperatures up to eighty degrees.
Burning in charges, loosely compacted, goes into detonation.Significant caulking promotes loss properties initiating explosive.The velocity of detonation of 2300 m / s, if the density is 1.25 g / cm3.The heat of explosion - 1.79 MJ / kg.The volume of the detonation products - 315 l / kg.
Pressing in Blasting cap is carried out under a pressure of 250-300 kg / cm2.
