Acetone Peroxide is a very sensitive high explosive. This is very a popular explosive to make because of the simpleness and readiness of the chemicals involved in its synthesis. A strong warning though, this is one of the most sensitive explosives, and extreme care must be assured when making. Adding to the danger is that AP is a high explosive, with similar explosive power to C-4. It can be set off by heat, friction or impact. It can even be set of by standing on it. A good use for AP is to sprinkle a small amount on e-matches before you add the coat of black powder. The AP ensures that you get a excellent and fast ingnition evry time you press the button.
INSTRUCTIONS:
MATERIALS:
For 10g of AP:
10mL 100% Acetone
16mL 30% Hydrogen Peroxide
5mL 80-100% Sulfuric Acid
For 25g of AP:
25mL 100% Acetone
30mL 30% Hydrogen Peroxide
8mL 80-100% Sulfuric Acid
For 50g of AP:
50mL 100% Acetone
59mL 30% Hydrogen Peroxide
11mL 80-100% Sulfuric Acid
If you do the Stoichiometry, you will find there is extra 5mL of Hydrogen Peroxide added than actually needed. This improves the amount of AP produced. This is because extra acetone left over at the end will contain dissolved AP. But adding extra hydrogen peroxide ensures that all the acetone is used in the reaction, making all the AP precipitate out of the mixture.
EQUIPMENT:
250mL Beaker
Graduated Cylinder
Thermonitor (glass if preferable, but a electronic one will do)
Eye dropper
Coffe Filter
Large amount of ice
Ice cream container
METHOD:
1. Start by taking your 250mL glass beaker and putting the required amount of acetone into it. Then added the required amount of hydrogen peroxide (see above). Stir the mixture
2. Place some ice into the ice cream container, let it melt so there is a pool of water and then place the 250mL beaker into the ice cream container so that it is surronded in ice cold water. Place the termonitor into the acetone-hydrogen peroxide mixture and wait until it has cooled to 5 degress C. It is imporatnt that from this step on the temperature of the mixture never goes above 10 degress C. If it does, it will lead to a different form of AP being produced, one which is much more sensitive to shock and is very dangerous.
3. Slowly, add the required amount of sulfuric acid using the eye dropper. Keep an eye on the temperature while you are doing this. The sulfuric acid acts as a catalyst to speed up the reaction between the acetone and the hydrogen peroxide. Even so the reaction takes a good 24 hours to fully complete.
4. Stir the mixture for the first 5 minutes. You should start to see white crystals forming. Don't worry if you don't, they will apear soon enough. Now you need to keep the beaker surronded with ice for at least 6 hours while the crystals form. If you have some means of keeping the mixture below 10 degres overnight, by all means do so, you will get a much bigger batch of AP
5. Once your satisfyed with the amount of AP produced, stir the solution and then pour it into a coffee filter. Make sure you wash the beaker straight away as the left over crystals could dry and explode if knocked. Leave the cofee filter overnight, to let the trapped AP dry. A drying time of two nights is recommended to get optimul performance. Do not in any way try and speed up the drying process by adding heat because the AP will most likely go ignite.
6. Once the AP is dry, it should have the apperance of white crystals and have a kind of fluffy texture to it. I always use the AP straight away and never store it. You can store it, but be very careful when doing so. The AP has to be sealed in an air tight container otherwise it'll slowly evaporate. Do not store it in and king of container with a screw on lid ethir. This is because the AP can evaporate and then reform at ther the top of the container underneath the lid. Then when you open the lid, the friction will set of this AP, and say bye-bye to your hand. A test-tube or similar glass or plastic container works well.