Mercury(II) fulminate 1

Mercury(II) fulminate

Mercury(II) fulminate

Identifiers

CAS number 628-86-4 [1] 

PubChem 11022444 [2]

ChemSpider 9197626 [3] 

ChEBI CHEBI:39152 [4] 

Jmol-3D images Image 1 [5]

Properties

Molecular formula C2N2O2Hg

Molar mass 284.624 g/mol

Appearance Grey, Pale Brown, or White Crystalline solid

Density 4.42 g/cm3

Melting point 160°C

Boiling point 356.6°C

Solubility in water slightly soluble

Solubility soluble in ethanol, ammonia

Explosive data

Shock sensitivity High

Friction sensitivity High

Mercury(II) fulminate 2

Explosive velocity 4250 m/s

Hazards

Main hazards Highly Toxic, Shock Sensitive Explosive

Autoignitiontemperature

170 °C

  (verify) [6] (what is:  / ?)Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox references

Mercury(II) fulminate, or Hg(CNO)2, is a primary explosive. It is highly sensitive to friction and shock and is

mainly used as a trigger for other explosives in percussion caps and blasting caps. Mercury(II) cyanate, though itsformula is identical, has a different atomic arrangement; the cyanate and fulminate anions are isomers.First used as a priming composition in small copper caps after the 1830s, mercury fulminate quickly replaced flintsas a means to ignite black powder charges in muzzle loading firearms. Later, during the late 19th century and mostof the 20th century, mercury fulminate or potassium chlorate became widely used in primers for self-contained rifleand pistol ammunition. Mercury fulminate has the distinct advantage over potassium chlorate of beingnon-corrosive, but it is known to weaken with time. Today, mercury fulminate has been replaced in primers by moreefficient chemical substances. Those are non-corrosive, less toxic and more stable over time: lead azide, leadstyphnate and tetrazene derivatives. In addition, none of these compounds replacing Hg(II) fulminate requiresmercury for manufacture, supplies of which can be unreliable in wartime.

PreparationMercury(II) fulminate is prepared by dissolving mercury in nitric acid and adding ethanol to the solution. It was firstprepared by Edward Charles Howard in 1800.[7] The crystal structure of this compound was only determined in2007.[8]

Silver fulminate can be prepared in a similar way, but this salt is even more unstable than mercury fulminate; it caneven explode under water and is impossible to accumulate in large amounts because it detonates under its ownweight.

In popular cultureOn AMC's Breaking Bad, Walter White throws a piece of fulminated mercury to the ground to cause an explosion atTuco Salamanca's hangout. The effect demonstrated in the scene, while theoretically plausible, is generallyconsidered to have been exaggerated for dramatic effect. [9]

In Law & Order's Season 7, Episode 6 "Double Blind" the killer uses bullets tipped with fulminated mercury to kill aformer school janitor.In Burn Notice's Season 4, Episode 13 "Eyes Open" Michael Westen uses decoy Mercury Fulminate in order todistract a bomb man while Sam Axe searches his house.In the movie Mister Roberts, Jack Lemmon's character Ensign Pulver uses "fulminate of mercury" to create a verylarge "firecracker."In the eighth episode of the anime Code Geass, the Japanese Liberation Front uses a Mercury (II) Fulminate cannonas an anti-Knightmare long range weapon.

Mercury(II) fulminate 3

References[1] http:/ / www. commonchemistry. org/ ChemicalDetail. aspx?ref=628-86-4[2] http:/ / pubchem. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/ summary/ summary. cgi?cid=11022444[3] http:/ / www. chemspider. com/ 9197626[4] https:/ / www. ebi. ac. uk/ chebi/ searchId. do?chebiId=39152[5] http:/ / chemapps. stolaf. edu/ jmol/ jmol. php?model=%5BO-%5D%5BN%2B%5D%23C%5BHg%5DC%23%5BN%2B%5D%5BO-%5D[6] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Special%3Acomparepages?rev1=477000105& page2=%3AMercury%28II%29+ fulminate[7] Edward Howard (1800). "On a New Fulminating Mercury". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 90 (1): 204–238.

doi:10.1098/rstl.1800.0012.[8] W. Beck, J. Evers, M. Göbel, G. Oehlinger and T. M. Klapötke (2007). "The Crystal and Molecular Structure of Mercury Fulminate

(Knallquecksilber)". Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie 633 (9): 1417–1422. doi:10.1002/zaac.200700176.[9] http:/ / chemistry. about. com/ b/ 2008/ 03/ 05/ mercury-fulminate-breaking-bad. htm

External links• National Pollutant Inventory - Mercury and compounds Fact Sheet (http:/ / www. npi. gov. au/ database/

substance-info/ profiles/ 53. html)• "300 years after discovery, structure of mercury fulminate finally determined" (http:/ / www. physorg. com/

news107176552. html). physorg.com. 24 August 2007.

Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and ContributorsMercury(II) fulminate  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=535249074  Contributors: Adamrush, Amorim Parga, Anon lynx, Aussie Alchemist, Beetstra, BenM, Benjah-bmm27,Blmpxcvd, Brane.Blokar, Bryan Derksen, Bucketsofg, Buyerstand, Byrdd, Calvero JP, Captain Infinity, Centrx, Chem-awb, Dan653, Danny955, Dbernat32, Dewey Finn, DocWatson42,Eye.earth, Frank-Wilcox, GCarty, GeeJo, Gentgeen, Georgewilliamherbert, Gruzd, Hamfist, Heron, Huppybanny, Jackjayatherton, Jegardol, JeremyA, Jmath666, Jni, Jtvisona, Kelley258,Ketiltrout, Knutux, Krispos42, LWF, Looxix, LorenzoB, Manawings, Materialscientist, Mdeby, Mdewman6, MiPe, Mikael V, Mikespedia, Munita Prasad, NawlinWiki, Nicolaiplum, Night Gyr,Nirmos, Oktanyum, OlEnglish, OllieW72, Oromagi, Oydman, Pegasus1138, Phe, Physchim62, Rcvaughan, Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ), Rifleman 82, Rjwilmsi, Rmrf1024, Romanm,Shadowjams, Slashme, Socksysquirrel, Spectre9, Stone, Stybn, The High Fin Sperm Whale, Thricecube, Toddst1, Turbo852, Vanderdecken, Vegaswikian, Whoop whoop pull up, Wikibob,Woohookitty, Wtmitchell, Z10x, 122 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsImage:Mercury fulminate.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mercury_fulminate.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Mercury-fulminate.png: Ben Millsderivative work: -Zeus- (talk)Image:Mercury-fulminate-3D-vdW.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mercury-fulminate-3D-vdW.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Ben MillsImage:Mercury-fulminate-xtal-3D-vdW.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mercury-fulminate-xtal-3D-vdW.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Ben MillsImage:Mercuryfulminate puryfied.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mercuryfulminate_puryfied.jpg  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors:Original uploader was Paramilitary at de.wikipedia (Original text : Tobias Maximilian Mittrach)File:X mark.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:X_mark.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:GmaxwellFile:Yes check.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Yes_check.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Anomie

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