Patiented Sept.

30, 1942
2,257,360

UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE

2,257,360
DESENSTAZED PENTAERYTHRETOL TETRA
NITRATE EXPLoSIVE
Joseph A. Wyler, Alentown, Pa., assignor to
Trojan Powder Company, Allentown, Pa.
No Drawing. Application February 8, 1940,
Serial No. 3,903
5 (Claims. (CR. 52-i)
This invention relates in general to explosive
compositions and more particularly to desensi
of Ca(NO3)2.4H2O and pentaerythritol tetrani
trate of following compositions and properties:
tized pantaerythritoi tetranitrate explosives.
it is well known that pentaerythritol tetrani Grams fulminate
trate possesses the disadvantageous property of is of mercury re Standard drop
being unusually sensitive to friction and impact. quired to cause hammer sensi
PETN Ca(NO3)2.4H2O detonation of tiveness (10 kg.
at is also known, although not So commonly, (1’ x 4' car-
tridges) weight)
that pentaerythritol tetranitrate is very sensitive
to detonation even when wetted with an equal Perceg Percent Centimeters
weight of water. These factors are the main rea O 00 0. Less thaa .26gms.- 5-0
son why pentaerythritol tetranitrate has not 95
90
5
O
Less than 26gns.
Less than .26gms--
5
40
found greater usefulness, although many of its 80 20 Less than .26gns.-- 65
other explosive properties are of a distinctly su 70
60
30
40
Less than .26gns.--
Less than .26 gms.-
95-00
00--
perior nature. 50 50 Less than .26gns.-- 100--
she present invention is concerned with the 15 30 70 .4 gm-------------- 100
20 80 (Partial detona
preparation of certain pentaerythrito tetrania tion .65 gm.
trate explosive mixtures having low friction and Detonates with
8 gm.)---------- 100
ingact Sensitiveness and at the same time having 0 -, 100 Non-explosive---------------------
excellent sensitivity toward detonation by means 20
of the usual initiators used in the explosives in These results show that the addition of
dustry. Ca(NO3) 4H2O
have discovered that the hydrated calcium ni applied in the manner described above has a pro
traites as Ca(NO3)2.3H2O, Ca(NC3)2.4H2O and nounced effect upon the impact sensitiveness of
Ca(NC3) 22:2C, which melt at temperatures less 25 pentaerythritol tetranitrate Without causing a
tha. i00 C. can be used in combination with deleterious drop in the detonative Sensitiveness
perataerythritol tetranitrate to produce granular toward the proper initiating agents.
of pulverilent mixtures of excellent explosive Eacample 2
properties.
it order to more clearly point out my inven 30 Ninety pounds of a mixture consisting of:
tion, the following examples are given by Way of Perceit
illustration: Ca(NO3).--------------------------------- 6.8
Eacclampe ; NH4NO3--------------------------------- 4.
HaO------------------------------------- 9.
22 lbs. o Ca, (NO3)24.2C are placed in a steam 35
jacketed graining kettle provided with a suitable 0.
stirre, and heated to a temperature above 40° C. are heated to above the melting point (belovy
i00° C.) in a suitable steam jacketed graining
in order to produce a thin liquid. Then 8 lbs. kettle provided with a stirrer. Then 0 pounds
of pentaerythrito tetrainitiate (preferably previ 40 of pentaerythritol tetranitrate are added and the
ouisiy heated to above 40 C.) are incorporated mixture stirred with cooling, until 8, grantla. Or
into this liquid by stirring the mixture at a ten pulverulent product results. This product was
perature above the melting point of the hydrous detonatable by means of about 33 gn. of mera
calciu in nitrate. After about fifteen minutes of cury fulminate and was insensitive toward in
this stirring the mixture is allowed to cool slowly, 43 pact (a 10 kg. weight did not cause a detonation
with further stirring, until a granular or pull when dropped from a height of 100 c.).
verulent mixture results. This mixture is then Similarly, may prepare mixtures of penta
passed through an 8 mesh sieve to produce my erythritol tetranitrate with any of the hydrated
preferred product. calcium nitrates which melt below 100 C. Also,
as similar marrier I have prepared mixtures 50 may use mixtures of these calcium nitrates
 2,257,860
with other nitrates as NH4NO3, NaNO3, magne
sium nitrates, zinc nitrates, aluminum nitrates,
etc. provided the mixtures melt at temperatures
below 100° C. and above 35 C.
It should be noted that my pentaerythritol tet
ranitrate compositions are not merely mechani
cal mixtures in which the individual grains of
pentaerythritol tetranitrates are in juxtaposition
with the individual grains of the hydrated nitrate
mixture as would be obtained if finely crystalline
pentaerythritol tetranitrate and finely powdered
nitrates are simply mixed below the melting
point of the nitrates. My compositions are char
acterized by the individual crystals or agglomer
ations of crystals of pentaerythritol tetranitrate
being imbedded within the solidified nitrate and
by the resulting mixture consisting of discrete
particles which may be spherical, granular or
pulverulent. These mixtures are capable of be
ing poured or pressed into molds or used in ad
mixture with other materials commonly used in
commercial explosives. - 2. An explosive comprising pentaerythritol
My pentaerythritol tetranitrate compositions
are useful directly as explosives, as for example,
a mixture consisting of 78 parts (by weight) of
pentaerythritol tetranitrate and 22 parts (by
weight) of Ca(NO3)4H2O which is essentially
oxygen-balanced, has an unusually high brisance
and is adapted for special uses where high shat
tering ability is required. Compositions contain
ing more of the nitrates than is required for an
oxygen balance (all C to form CO2, all H2 to .
form H2O, the metals to form oxides and the
nitrogen to be liberated as N2) are particularly
useful for admixture with oxygen-deficient ex
plosives as nitrostarch, nitrocellulose, trinitro
toluene, dinitrotoluene, dipentaerythritol hexa
nitrate, tetry, nitrated alkyl lactates, nitrated
alkyl glycolates, etc., or mixtures of these with
oxidizing agents as NH4NO3, NaNO3, and the like 40
or with reducing agents as woodpulp, charcoal,
ivory nuts, paraffin, rosin, mineral oils, vaseline,
and the like; or with oxygen-deficient or com
bustible materials in general. ---
It is important to note that I am using the
term pentaerythritol tetranitrate in a broad
manner. Persons familiar with the explosives
art know that all commercial pentaerythritol
tetranitrate contains some dipentaerythritol
hexanitrate (often as much as 10-12%) and, at
times, other impurities absorbed from the mother
liquor obtained in the pentaerythritol Crystalliza
tion. Consequently, the term pentaerythritol
tetranitrate is used not only to mean pure
pentaerythritol tetranitrate, but also the impure
product normally obtained by the various Con
mercial processes.
wish to emphasize that the examples giver.
above are merely illustrative of my invention and
are not intended to limit me to the method given
therein, for the preparation of my compositions.
I may, for instance, melt the hydrated-nitrate
mixtures, stir, add the pentaerythritol tetra
nitrate, stir, then allow the molten mixture to
flow in the form of a thin stream, and then be
subjected to a jet of air under high pressure so as
to form small globules which upon falling
through the cool air, solidify and form spheres;
O or I may use any suitable process which produces
the product of characteristics described above.
I; therefore, do not limit myself in any way ex
cept as indicated in the following claims.
I claim:
. An explosive comprising pentaerythritol
tetraritrate and a hydrated calcium nitrate of
melting point greater than 35° C. and less than
100° C., said pentaerythritol tetranitrate being
substantially embedded within the hydrated ni
20 trates and the mixture being composed of dis
Crete particles.
tetranitrate and Ca(NO3)4H2O, said pentae
rythritol tetranitrate being substantially em
25 bedded within the hydrated nitrate and the mix
ture being composed of discrete particles.
3. A composition of matter comprising pentae
rythritol tetranitrate and Ca (NO3)2.4H2O in the
proportions, by weight, of approximately 78 parts
30 of pentaerythritol tetranitrate to 22 parts of
Ca(NO3)2.4H2O, said composition being made up
of solid, discrete particles in which the pentae
rythritol tetranitrate is substantially embedded
Within the Ca, (NO3)2.4H2O.
4. An explosive comprising crystalline pentae
rythritol tetranitrate, hydrated calcium nitrate
of melting point between 35° C. and 100° C., and
an oxygen-deficient explosive; Said pentae
rythritol tetranitrate being substantially em
bedded within the hydrated calcium nitrate and
this resulting mixture of pentaerythritol tetra
nitrate and hydrated calcium nitrate being Com
posed of discrete particles; and said oxygen-de
ficient explosive being intimately mixed with the
pentaerythritol tetranitrate-calcium nitrate mix
ture.
5. An explosive comprising crystalline pentae
rythritol tetranitrate, hydrated calcium nitrate
of melting point between 35 C. and 100° C., and
nitrostarch; said pentaerythritol tetranitrate
being substantially embedded within the hy
drated calcium nitrate and this resulting mixture
of pentaerythritol tetranitrate and hydrated cal
cium nitrate being composed of discrete par
ticles; and said nitrostarch being intimately
mixed with the pentaerythritol tetranitrate cai
cium nitrate mixture.
JOSEPH A WYLER.