is potassium nitrate highly dangerous when pure?

Ok I am pretty sure potassium nitrate is not particularly dangerous in its pure form and I am pretty sure he is confused with ammonium nitrate. He is just so adement that its starting to brainwash me. Anyone got anything to add here?

no need to answer ive won the argument and convinced him hes wrong

I had a similar "conversation" with my uncle. he thought that Potassium nitrate was not just flamable But an HE I tolod him that that he was confused with Ammoniun nitrate, and he said "no, but aren't all oxidisers high explosives". I decided that he did not have much of a case and smiled. By the way he works at a farm suply company...and I get my chems cheaper from a rival company

I had a similar "conversation" with my uncle. he thought that Potassium nitrate was not just flamable But an HE I tolod him that that he was confused with Ammoniun nitrate, and he said "no, but aren't all oxidisers high explosives". I decided that he did not have much of a case and smiled. By the way he works at a farm suply company...and I get my chems cheaper from a rival company

ammonian nitrate and pottasium nitrate are not flammable, you cannot make them burn.
they give oxygen off, to speed up a fuels combustion, but don't burn themselves.
try lighting a pile of pottasium nitrate to try it.

and ammonia nitrate is only a HE when mixed with fuel oils or other specialist fuels. and the ratio of ammonium nitrate to fuel has to be pretty precise, and even then it's very insensitive (a blasting cap won't detonate it, you need a stick of dynamite)

What? I am well aware that oxidisers are not flammable ( when oxidiser does not mean reducer). I never said that Potassium or Ammonium nitrate were flamable and nor do I think that they are, my unkle does...or did. And what is ammonia/ammonian nitrate? ...sorry, I couldn't help myself

Edited by seymour, 10 July 2005 - 06:45 AM.

and ammonia nitrate is only a HE when mixed with fuel oils or other specialist fuels. and the ratio of ammonium nitrate to fuel has to be pretty precise, and even then it's very insensitive (a blasting cap won't detonate it, you need a stick of dynamite)

ok, no discussion about HE?s here, BUT I have to say that these statements are false. Nothing more to add.

and ammonia nitrate is only a HE when mixed with fuel oils or other specialist fuels. and the ratio of ammonium nitrate to fuel has to be pretty precise, and even then it's very insensitive (a blasting cap won't detonate it, you need a stick of dynamite)

That's crap. AN is detonatable pure and is greatly sensitised by the addition of even small amounts of fuels.

That's crap.  AN is detonatable pure and is greatly sensitised by the addition of even small amounts of fuels.

It is still nie on imposible to detonate. It might be greatly sensitised but that is relative to what it was before.

read this.

http://www.jtbaker.c...hhtml/a6048.htm

it's a strong oxidiser, not an explosive.


and BTW, seymour, my spelling is pretty poor.

It is a strong oxidiser, and an explosive "Sensitive to mechanical impact." that was from the MSD sheet that you suplied. Anyway, it is of no significance because it has practicly no use in fireworks. Discussion over?

For information on big AN accidents google
"Oppau 1921" or "Texas City 1947"

At Oppau a 50/50 mixture of ammonium nitrate and sulfate detonated when being broken apart by blasting

At Texas City a ship full of ammonium nitrate blew up after a fire on board

Not to forget the infamous Halifax incident, one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever.

Not to forget the infamous Halifax incident, one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever.

yes indeed, a spondiferous bang of almost biblical proportions after 2 ships collided and the one with amm. nitrate floated around on fire in the harbour until it went up killing over 1000 onlookers and reporters who gathered at the quayside to watch the fun!

ammonian nitrate and pottasium nitrate are not flammable, you cannot make them burn.
they give oxygen off, to speed up a fuels combustion, but don't burn themselves.
try lighting a pile of pottasium nitrate to try it.

and ammonia nitrate is only a HE when mixed with fuel oils or other specialist fuels. and the ratio of ammonium nitrate to fuel has to be pretty precise, and even then it's very insensitive (a blasting cap won't detonate it, you need a stick of dynamite)

ammonia nitrate is not that hard to detonate. you can defenatley detonate it with a blasting cap.

Hmmm - detonation? blasting caps? Sticks of dynamite?

I feel we are sliding into a discussion of HE, which is of course strictly forbidden.

Post with care my friends. Post with care.