From: ahahma@polaris.utu.fi (Arno Hahma)
Newsgroups: sci.chem
Subject: Re: Need Reaction
Message-ID: <1990Nov6.092901.29482@polaris.utu.fi>
Date: 6 Nov 90 09:29:01 GMT

In article <10090014@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:

>
>No, sodium azide is not explosive in the same way that smokeless powder
>is not explosive.  It burns extremely rapidly but does not create a
>detonation front.

Not spontaneously, but it sure will do that if ignited with a blasting cap.

>I understand that some double-base smokeless powders can explode if
>touched off by a blasting cap.  I do not have any reliable confirmation
>of this.

True indeed. Smokeless powder is more sensitive to a pressure shock than
dynamite or, for example tetryl or PETN. Tetryl and PETN are about the
most sensitive explosives used in practice, btw. Pistol and shotgun powders
are particularly sensitive, about twice as sensitive as tetryl.

ArNO
    2