“It would change into something else at the molecular level,” he said. Fleming tried several materials including iron sulfate, a readily available compound that steel foundries throw away by the tons. When mixed with ammonium nitrate, the iron ion “grabs” the nitrate and the ammonium ion takes the sulfate ion. Iron sulfate becomes iron nitrate and ammonium nitrate becomes ammonium sulfate. This reaction occurs if someone tries to alter the fertilizer to make it detonable when mixed with a fuel. “The ions would rather be with different partners,” Fleming said. “The iron looks at the ammonium nitrate and says, ‘Can I have your nitrate rather than my sulfate?’ and the ammonium nitrate says, ‘I like sulfate, so I’ll trade you.’” Ammonium sulfate and iron nitrate are not detonable, even when mixed with a fuel, as is ammonium nitrate. “It’s a different compound,” said Fleming, who completed work on the formula in late 2012. “At the chemical level it’s a great fertilizer but does not detonate.” Sandia news media contact: Nancy Salem, [email protected], (505) 844-2739 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Public Post) Is This a happening now for wider acceptance/use? taking the boom out of this type of Bomb? (word for for NSA system code word used, "Bomb")
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:57:45 +0000
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