PDGN is an explosive similar to nitroglycerine. Contrary to popular beleif, nitro really isn't that sensitive, when compared to other explosives that we make and use every day. Anyway, I haven't made PDGN yet, but hopefully will get around to it sometime this weekend. The following is people's comments about PDGN from the explosives and weapon forum:
It really seems that this explosive, propylene glycol dinitrate, should be used more. Propylene
glycol is pretty cheap, it can be had for low cost from the right type of antifreeze with only
a few percentage of impurities like dyes and water that could likely be removed. Anyway, my
experiences of making PGDN were with PG that was from a chem supplier which still was quite
cheap. Also it sounds as if it is easily detonable but still quite safe to handle based on mega's
information. Also, I've noticed no headache from it although it does seem somewhat volatile as
it has a nice sweet smell to it. Anyway onto my experiences with synthing it.
The first time I tried synthesizing it I was using concentrated nitric acid(around 95%) and
98% sulfuric acid. I don't remember the ratios but have them written somewhere. Anyway,
all was going well and the temperature wasn't rising much at all so I decided to increase the
rate of PG addition to the acids, all was going well but as I was adding some PG I gave the
syringe a bit too hard of a squeeze which put in more PG than I had meant to. The runaway
began really rapidly, took only a few seconds for it to start spewing NO2. Worse than that was
that the mixture ignited result in a jet of fire shooting something between 1ft and 2ft out of the
flask. I suppose this might be the result of PGDN rising upwards and staying at the surface
instead of sinking the way NG does.
The next attempt was with an NH4NO3 and H2SO4 mixture:
29g NH4NO3
75g 98% H2SO4
9g propylene glycol
I was more cautious on the addition and kept the temp under 10C until all the PG was added. I
THen removed fro mthe ice bath and allowed the temperature to rise to just over 15C in around
twelve minutes. I then dumped in 500ml of ice cold water, decanted, and then added bicarbonate
solution. Judginf by the volume of PGDN obtained and the density mega gives I got a yield of a bit
over 14g which is around 70% theoretical. I haven't gotten around to testing it though.
USER NAME:pdb
Amateur Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Where the Statue of Liberty was cast
Posts: 79
Rep Power: 8
Quote:
"I suppose this might be the result of PGDN rising upwards and staying at the surface"
You are wrong. NG does stay at the surface of the acides, but of course sinks in water.
That you got an oxydizing reaction with NOx emission by adding too much PG at a time is not surprising. However, that the PGDN ignited is far more amazing. I've never heard of such a thing with NG, which in case of uncontrolled temperature rise would either decompose and/or detonate, but not ignite. GreenCoat
A New Voice Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 12
Rep Power: 0
Quote:
Originally posted by Bert
"I just read the ingredients on the bottle of generic aspirin in my medicine cabinet... It contains both polyethylene glycol and propylene glycol.
I've read several variations of the "picric acid from aspirin" recipe, I believe there's one on this site somewhere as well. Could anyone comment on the likely outcome of using salicylic acid extracted with alcohol from such a source? The high temperature of the reaction carried out with contaminants such as PG and PEG present would seem a recipe for disaster.
Of course, I have no idea what their percentages in the medication are- Or how soluble in which alcohols they may be. However, most alcohols are not perfectly anhydrous, so it seems likely they would be extracted regardless." I don't think you would have anything to worry about if you washed your acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) with water before going on to the next step. Both PE and PEG are alcohol and water soluble. If I didn't already have access to both phenol and salicylic acid, I would perform an alcohol extraction/filtration to obtain mostly pure ASA, free from fillers and binders. Then obtain sodium acetate and salicylate by boiling a suspension of ASA in NaOH solution. Precipitate salicylic acid with HCl. I know, I know: it's a lot of work. But garbage in, garbage out. This is how it should be done. Any PE or PEG, or other water soluble impurities for that matter, would remain in solution. From reading tablet-forming patents, PE and PEG are added in no more than 2-4% amounts to facilitate blending.
USER NAME: freaky_frank
Amateur Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: netherlands
Posts: 58
Rep Power: 8
I lately made EGDN, normally I make NG, and this stuff yields much better than NG, NG gives me from 20ml glycerine 20ml NG, and EGDN gave me from 20ml EG 27ml EGDN.....
And PGDN gave me from 20ml only a crappy 13ml... USER NAME: The_Rsert
Lab Assistant Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Only in your mind (and in northern Germany)!
Posts: 167
Rep Power: 9
Yesterday evening, I made some PGDN (propylene glycol dinitrate).
I used about 50ml (yes, my scale is broken, so I have to estimate) ammonium nitrate (coarse powder), 100ml H2SO4 and 20ml propylene glycol. The nitration takes 20 min. I kept the temperatures easily between 10°C and 15°C with a ice bath. After the addition I waited 30min. I neutralised and washed the final water insoluble liquid (PGDN)
Yield: Approx. 26ml pure dry sweet smelling PGDN with a slightly yellow coloured touch.
I got no headache ,
So, what can I do with this stuff? Any ideas?
EDIT: I've just ignited 20ml in a delved test tube with <1g AP in a drinkiung straw.
The detonation was many times stroner than a 100g ANNM det..
Some little stones shot up to 100m away (I heard the impacts of the stones)
I got a min. 45cm wide/20cm deep crater!
If I can, I will make some pics of the crater tommorow.
PGDN is my new favourite HE!
__________________
USER NAME: simply RED
Sr. Researcher Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Stelianovsk
Posts: 638
Rep Power: 25
A friend of mine made NG, EGDN and PGDN by the following procedure:
60ml H2SO4(96-99%); 40ml HNO3 59-62% and 15 ml the alcohol.
Cooled during nitration of course.
He got about 15 ml yield every time. Then we mix the NG, EGDN and PGDN (45ml) and detonated it. Quite good blast it was for its size.
PGDN/AN works well. Why not PGDN/NH4ClO4?
__________________ USER NAME: stupid939
Bottle Washer Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 32
Rep Power: 0
When I used EGDN/AN I couldn't get the AN to dissolve very easily. I dreamed I was using it in a shaped charge, and it worked great, but it leaked way too much. Have any of you had this problem?