Some Tannerite technical questions

[chris in va]

First off, can someone explain exactly how the chemical reaction happens? The catalyst gets mixed with the AN, then a high speed bullet does...what exactly?

Also if AN is legal to buy (or is it regulated now?) and that zinc catalyst can be had, is it not fair to say you can formulate your own 'Tannerite' binary targets instead of blowing insane $$$ on the stuff? The ingredients can't cost much.

I've gone through probably 20 bottles so far but still don't exactly understand it.

 

[CNYCacher]

I thought the catalyst was dark aluminum flake. . .

Yeah but either way, I know people do mix their own. I think it's something like 9 parts ammonium nitrate to 1 part catalyst.

I have always wondered how difficult it is to obtain AN, do they carry it at most farm supply stores? Do they think you are the next McVeigh when you want to get some?

 

[shooting time]

Buy the AN at home depot or a farm supply you have to put it in a blender and grind it up first then mix 9 parts AN to 1 part 500 mesh dark aluminum powder (you can get it on EBAY) about 25.00 a pound

 

[kellyj00]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tannerite

Tannerite consists of two components, a sensitizer and a bulk material. The bulk material is a mixture of ammonium nitrate and ammonium perchlorate, while the sensitizer is a mixture of dark flake aluminum powder and a small amount of zirconium hydride. Simpler mixtures of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder are also known to work, but are less sensitive and harder to reliably detonate.

 

[RNB65]

First off, can someone explain exactly how the chemical reaction happens? The catalyst gets mixed with the AN, then a high speed bullet does...what exactly?

It's been a long time since I last took a chemistry class, but I'll take a shot at it. Even when the AN and the catalyst are combined, Tannerite is a very, very stable product which does not detonate easily. It takes a lot of energy (such as being hit with a bullet traveling at supersonic speeds) to trigger the reaction. You'll have to find someone with explosives experience to get a more technical description.

There are homemade tannerite formulas available on the web. They can be a bit hard to find, but they're out there. Dan Tanner doesn't have any great secrets that no one else knows about -- binary explosives are a pretty straight forward combination of AN and a catalyst (usually aluminum powder).

And man are they fun!

 

[Jim Watson]

I am just amazed that the BATFE and the anti gunners have not taken notice of Tannerite and clamped down on its sale to American Commoners.
Ammonium nitrate and about any sensitizer is classified as a blasting agent and some combinations are explosives.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

I would suspect that the reaction is between the oxidant (the nitrate) and an easily oxidized substance (aluminum).
The aluminum is protected by an inert layer of oxide (aluminum oxides --rusts--so fast that this provide the anti-rust properties).
A bullet entering this system, would expose the aluminum (scraping through the aluminum to expose fresh aluminum) and provide the energy to get the reaction started.
Look up the termite reaction (iron and aluminum). Takes a lot to get that one started (no good oxidant present), but boy does it go once in gets past the hump.

 

[MD_Willington]

Keep in mind AN sucks up moisture like no tomorrow, so once you crush it, you need to use PDQ...

I was fortunate enough to have a buddy in College that was ticketed & used to run a powder company with his family, and he had some neat recipes!