Acetone Peroxide Explosives
Acetone Peroxide Explosives
Acetone Peroxide is a primary explosive that can be made from hair bleach (Hydrogen Peroxide),
acetone, and sulfuric acid. This explosive is to be used in the fabrication of detonators.
Material Required
* Hydrogen peroxide Hair bleach (15-25 volume content) Drug stores and hair
supply houses
* Acetone Hardware stores, drug stores
* Sulfuric acid Clear battery acid
boiled until white fumes appear
* Eye dropper or syringe with glass tube Drug store
*
Graduated cylinder (cc or ml) or other measuring device
* Thermometer (0 to 100 degrees C)
* Large pan
* Ice and salt
* Water
* Paper
towels or coffee filters
PROCEDURE
1. Measure 30 milliliters of acetone and 50
milliliters of hydrogen peroxide into a glass container and mix thoroughly.
2. Cool the
acetone/peroxide mixture by placing its container in a larger one containing a mixture of water,
salt, and ice.
Note: Because of the lighter inner container being buoyant in the larger outer
container, it is necessary to secure it so that it wont fall over into the ice, salt, and water
mixture.
3. Cool the acetone/peroxide mixture to 5 degrees C.
4. Add 2.5
milliliters of concentrated sulfuric acid to the acetone/peroxide mixture slowly, drop by drop, with
the use of an eye dropper. Stir the mixture during the addition of the sulfuric acid with a
thermometer, keeping the temperature between 5 and 10 degrees C. Should the mixture rise above 10
degrees C, stop adding the sulfuric acid and continue stirring until the temperature drops again to
5 degrees C, then continue adding the sulfuric acid.
5. After all the sulfuric acid has been
added, continue stirring the mixture for another 5 minutes.
6. Let the
acetone/peroxide/sulfuric acid mixture stand in the ice/water/salt bath or remove the inner
container and place it in an ice box for 12 to 24 hours.
7. After 12 hours white crystals of
acetone peroxide will precipitate out of the once clear solution. Precipitation should be complete
after 24 hours. Caution: At this point the mixture is a primary explosive. Keep away from shock,
friction, and flame.
8. Filter the mixture through a paper towel or coffee filter to
collect the solid particles.
9. Wash the solid particles collected in the paper towel or
coffee filter with small amounts of ice cold water poured over them. Discard the liquid in the
container.
10. Place these explosive crystals in a container and allow to dry.
Caution:
Handle the dry explosive with great care. Do not scrape or handle it roughly. Keep away from sparks
or open flame. Store in a cool, dark, dry place.