Appendix G: Shock Sensitive and Explosive Chemicals
Shock sensitive refers to the susceptibility of a chemical to rapidly decompose or explode when struck, vibrated or otherwise agitated. Explosive chemicals are those chemicals which have a higher propensity to explode under a given set of circumstances than other chemicals (extreme heat, pressure, mixture with an incompatible chemical, etc.). The label and MSDS will indicate if a chemical is shock sensitive or explosive . The chemicals listed below may be shock sensitive or explode under a given number of circumstances and are listed only as a guide to some shock sensitive or explosive chemicals. Follow these guidelines:
- Write the date received and date opened on all containers of shock sensitive chemicals. Some chemicals become increasingly shock sensitive with age.
- Unless an inhibitor was added by the manufacturer, closed containers of shock sensitive materials should be discarded after 1 year.
- Wear appropriate personal protective equipment when handling shock sensitive chemicals.
List of Shock Sensitive and Explosive Chemicals:
acetylene fulminate of mercury nitroguanidine acetylides of heavy metal fulminate of silver nitroparaffins amatex ethylene oxide nitrourea amatol ethyl-tetryl organic nitramines ammonal fulminating gold ozonides ammonium nitrate fulminating mercury pentolite ammonium perchlorate fulminating platinum perchlorates of heavy metals ammonium picrate fulminating silver peroxides azides of heavy metals gelatinized nitrocellulose picramic acid baratol guanyl picramide calcium nitrate guanyl nitrsamino picratol chlorate guanyltetrazene picric acid copper acetylide hydrazine picryl sulphonic acid cyanuric triazide nitrated carbohydrate silver acetylide cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine nitrated glucoside silver azide dinitrophenol nitrogen triiodide tetranitromethane dinitrophenylhydrazine nitrogen trichloride dinitrotoluene nitroglycerin ednatol nitroglycide erythritol tetranitrate nitroglycol Mixtures:
References: Material Safety Data Sheets, various chemical companies
germanium tetracene hexanitrodiphenyamine tetrytol hexanitrostilbene trimethylolethane hexogen trimonite hydrazoic acid trinitroanisole lead azide trinitrobenzene lead mononitroresorcinate trinitrobenzoic acid lead styphnate trinitrocresol mannitol hexanitrate trinitroresorcinol sodium picramate tritonal