Mercury fulminate
Mercury fulminate Basic information
- Product Name:
- Mercury fulminate
- Synonyms:
-
- Mercury fulminate,wetted with not less than 20% water,or mixture of alcohol and water,by mass
- mercury difulminate
- MERCURY FULMINATE
- fulminating mercury
- mercuric fulminate
- Fluminicacid,mercury(2+)satl(R,T)
- Mercuryfulminate(R,T)
- mercury difulminate mercuric fulminate fulminate of mercury
- CAS:
- 628-86-4
- MF:
- C2HgN2O2
- MW:
- 284.6236
- EINECS:
- 211-057-8
- Mol File:
- 628-86-4.mol
Mercury fulminate Chemical Properties
- Melting point:
- explodes [HAW93]
- Density
- 4.4200
- solubility
- slightly soluble in H2O; soluble in ethanol,NH2OH 4
- form
- gray crystals
- color
- gray crystals, crystalline
- Water Solubility
- slightly soluble cold H2O, soluble hot H2O; soluble alcohol, NH4OH [HAW93]
- EPA Substance Registry System
- Mercury fulminate (628-86-4)
Safety Information
- Hazard Codes
- E,T,N
- Risk Statements
- 3-23/24/25-33-50/53
- Safety Statements
- 3-35-45-60-61
- RIDADR
- 0135
- HazardClass
- 1.1A
- PackingGroup
- II
- Hazardous Substances Data
- 628-86-4(Hazardous Substances Data)
Mercury fulminate Usage And Synthesis
Chemical Properties
Gray, crystalline powder.Soluble in alcohol, ammonium hydroxide, and hot water; slightly soluble in cold water.
Uses
Manufacture of caps and detonators for producing explosions of military, industrial, and sporting purposes.
Uses
Mercury fulminate is used as a primaryexplosive to initiate boosters.
Uses
Mercury fulminate [Hg(CNO)2] is very explosive and is used to manufacture blasting caps and detonators.
General Description
A slurry or wet mass of white crystals. Contains at least 20% water or water-ethyl alcohol mixture. May explode from shock, heat, flame, or friction when dry. May explode under prolonged exposure to heat. Primary hazard is blast of an instantaneous explosion, not flying projectiles or fragments. A widely used initiating detonator for high explosives.
Reactivity Profile
MERCURY FULMINATE is incompatible with acetylene, ammonia, chlorine dioxide, azides, calcium (amalgam formation), sodium carbide, lithium, rubidium, copper . Contact with sulfuric acid causes explosion, [Urbanski, 1967, vol. 3, 135, 149]. Aqueous ammonia and Hg react to form an explosive solid, likely a fulminate. (Thodos, G. Amer. Inst. Chen. Engrs. J., 1964, 10, 274.).
Hazard
Explodes readily when dry, keep moist till use, an initiating explosive. Highly toxic.
Health Hazard
Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases.
Health Hazard
Mercury fulminate is a highly toxic compound,exhibiting the toxicity symptoms ofmercury. No toxicity data are available onthis compound.
Fire Hazard
MAY EXPLODE AND THROW FRAGMENTS 1600 meters (1 MILE) OR MORE IF FIRE REACHES CARGO.
Safety Profile
An explosive sensitive to flame, heat, impact, friction, intense radiation, or contact with sulfuric acid. Selfexplodes. Dangerously flammable; should be kept moist until used. Incompatible with sulfuric acid. When heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of Hg and NOx. See also MERCURY COMPOUNDS and FULMINATES.