April 1985,
File: NITRO.HOW
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NITROGLYCERIN
by Gray Chance
for >TARGET<
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INTRODUCTION:
This file was composed in April of 1985, so it is by far the newest, and
after you read this you will see that it is by far the safest of all previous
nitro files* Hopefully you will learn a little bit about che-stvy@(although
I doubt it) and not just how to blow things up. I myself am not a chemist,
and have had no more than high school chemistry. This recipe is a modified
form of the one found in the ANARCHISTS COOKBOOK, but much better. It was
obtained from a grad student in chemistry at one of top universities (for
chemistry at least) in the nation. His name and the university are not
mentioned for purposes of privacy.
As most people know, nitroglycerin is an extremely powerful explosive,
used largely today by industry, and made in huge cement mixers that hold
hundreds of gallons. It is not safe to make, and you shouldn't even think of
making any unless you plan to use it (and don't make more than you need). I
personally do not condone the use of nitroglycerin at all--this file is for
informational purposes only. I hope anyone who does make some has had at
least some chemistry and a little bit of brains. The last thing anyone wants
to hear is how some 14 year old punk blew himself up trying to make nitro.
One last thing. I encourage you to upload this file to other systems, but
I insist that my name and club remain.
MATERIALS:
1) 70% concentrated nitric acid
2) 98% concentrated sulfuric acid
3) Glycerin
4) Baking soda
5) A *GOOD* thermometer and glassware (beakers, glass rod-stirring device,
test tubes, eyedropper, whatever--must be all glass materials though.
Acid eats everything else. Also, whatever you use to hold your
solutions should have as thin a glass wall as possible--to diffuse heat
faster.)
6) Very large ice-bath
7) Gloves, Goggles, etc.
8) Blue litmus paper
9) Kitchen sink
OBTAINING MATERIALS:
Nitric acid can be bought for about $19+ per gallon (it's cheaper to buy
in this quantity). You need to be 21, but some chemical places don't care.
Sulfuric acid can be bought the same way, at $14+ per gallon.
Glycerin can be bought at any drug store. You won't need half as much
glycerin as acid. The actual quantity and ratio varies--and is really
unimportant in this recipe.
The thermometer and glassware, etc., can be bought by anyone, but it's
cheaper to 'borrow' from chem lab. If you have to buy, there should be a
place near any college campus that sells the stuff.
THE REACTION:
H
!
H-C-O-NO2
!
H-C-O-NO2 ===========> N2 + CO2 + O2 + H2O
!
H-C-O-NO2
!
H
PROCEDURE:
1) Mix by volume 3 parts sulfuric acid with 1 part nitric. Add the
sulfuric to the nitric *NOT* vice versa (you never add water to acid because
it splatters, and the nitric is 30% water). Your beaker/test tube should be
contained in the ice bath because this solution gets *HOT*--but isn't
dangerous, yet. Stir a little bit, but don't put your face right over it
(vapors). Wait till it cools to 0-5 degrees centigrade. You'll need to rig
some kind of contraption, if you don't have the proper lab equipment, in order
to keep the thermometer from touching the edge of the beaker/test tube--an
accurate reading is *VERY* important.
2) Once the acids ar cool enough you can start adding glycerin. While
stirring constantly, use the eyedropper and add about 5 drops. If the heat
doesn't rise, add 8 drops, and see what happens. Keep adding larger amounts
until the temperature rises. Once it does, wait (don't stop stirring till at
least 30 seconds after adding glycerin) for the temperature to drop back down
to 0-5 degrees centigrade. DON'T EVER LET THE TEMPERATURE GET ABOVE 30
DEGREES CENTIGRADE--If you do, you lose. It might not blow up, but it will
decompose, and you'll get nothing but garbage (the person who designed this
recipe has had it go as high as 40 and not explode). To be safe, keep it
below 20 degrees centigrade, and if it gets above that, dump the whole thing
in the ice bath (there better be plenty of ice too, 'cause sulfur and water
react, and you need plenty of ice to keep that reaction cool). The
nitroglycerin reaction is done when the glycerin you add no longer affects the
temperature.
3) The nitroglycerin is slowly decomposing at this point, so you want to
work fast here. The sulfuric has only been a catalyst for the reaction and
needs to be washed out. Fill a container 10x the volume of your solution with
ice water (again, ice is important 'cause sulfur and water react giving off
enough heat to set off the nitro) and add your solution to it. Stirr
thoroughly (nitro and water don't mix). Let the nitro seperate (it will
settle to the bottom) and pour off the water (acids and all) down the drain.
Put your solution under the tap and add more water. Stirr again and let
settle (settling can be helped by adding a little of ordinary dishsoap--like
half a drop). Pour off again. Repeat the process 3 or 4 times Make sure
*ALL* the water is poured off (to get the last little bit, try ragging paper
towells across the top). Take the blue litmus paper and test the nitro. If
it stays blue, everything is fine. If it turns red, wash your solution a few
more times.
4) After the solution is 'clean', wash with a baking soda solution (1
tsp./ quart of water). Follow the same steps outlined above, but only wash
once. Pour your final solution into a glass bottle. Put in the fridge.
CAUTIONS:
First of all, store nitroglycerin in a cool place-like the fridge (or try
the freezer. I don't know what the freezing point is). Label it so nobody
accidently dumps it or drinks it. If you still live at home, then bury it in
the fridge and disguise it so your parents wouldn't want to touch it or
examine it. You don't really need to keep it that cold. You could fairly
safely store it in your closet. Although if you live in an area with extreme
heat (like Palm Springs) it might not be a good idea. Don't breath the vapors
or swallow any--you'll get a short but incredible headache. I you touch some
you'll get the headache of your life that will last up to 12 hours.
DETONATION:
What you will probably want to try as soon as you make nitroglycerin is a
simple little experiment to prove to yourself it works. Put *ONE* drop on a
paper towell and strike with a hammer.
Nitro, in this form, is not all that easy to blow up. Throing a bottle
of the stuff at a wall or dropping it off a five story building will do
nothing more than break the bottle. The best way to detonate nitroglycerin is
with a wax coated firecracker taped on the inside of your container.
VARIATIONS:
Putty- Mix your final solution with sawdust o iatomacious
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