Making TNT
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Published 2024-04-07
PLEASE READ: I do not recommend anyone but trained professionals attempt this process due to several significant hazards associated with the synthesis of this chemical.
I intentionally made a very small amount, but with compounds that can potentially undergo rapid decomposition, safety is a very fine line.
I find this synthesis to be an excellent educational model (which is the purpose of this video), and considering the full synthesis is already outlined in detail on Wikipedia and Google Patents, felt it reasonable to post this video.
That said, heed all warnings presented in this video, and check for the legality of this process by legal statutes in your local area before ever proceeding with anything shown on this channel.
A FEW POST-RELEASE NOTES (I was up late editing and made some mistakes):
1. There is a typo at 2:20. Text on screen says 98% HNO3 when it should be H2SO4.
2. 8.46m in reference to the side length of a block of TNT is for a kiloton, not a ton as I said.
3. Toluene is misspelled at 1:46.. Rookie mistake.. if I had known this video was going to do so well I would have spent more than 2 hours in editing..
4. As an attempt to help keep this video up, I may remove comments implying or suggesting this be used to make any weapon. That was obviously not the intent of the video, but if the comment section is flooded with people saying things like that, it invites an element I don't particularly want associated with my channel. Try and keep it legal down there..
5. All the product seen at the end of the video was destroyed, as I have no further use for this chemical and do not recommend anyone keep this around. Not only is it a fire hazard, but even in many places where this is legal to make, there can be separate laws dictating whether it can be stored.
#chemistry #science #hydrogen #gas #elements #fire #chemical #industury #color
All Comments (21)
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Mr. FBI. I swear, I watched this for educational purposes.
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bro you just need 4 blocks of sand and 5 pieces of gunpowder, that simple
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As a chemist, I am amazed time and time again how you learn at university how the methyl group will direct the NO2 groups towards the 2,4,6 positions, but seeing the lab method shows how sophisticated this really is. I cannot imagine the amount of work that went into finding out the natural law behind it, establishing temperatures and reaction times etc. All at a time when no one knew what a bloody benzene ring looked like, or had a clue about the structure of atoms. Later, they would find out that TNT, which has a strongly negative oxygen balance of some -75 %, formed a castable azeotrope with ammonium nitrate, making explosives cheaper without losing explosive power.
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It's amazing how something so complicated was created in the late 1800s with none of the technology we have today to assist. Great video and really informative!
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Contrary to what AC/DC would have you believe, TNT is not, in fact, dynamite. That is mechanically stabilized Nitroglycerine.
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Next episode, we make a neutron bomb. It's used in disinfecting planets or procuring colony ships.
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Dear F.B.I and A.T.F., I only watched this video because it's very interesting and I know enough about chemistry not to even think about trying this. I'm not a chemist!
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Finally, something thats gonna blast everyone away in chemistry class.
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Generally, it's a bad idea to use vacuum filtration with energetic compounds. Fortunately TNT is exceptionally stable.
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The TNT lava lamp hits different
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Yes, used similar technique to make it when I was 11 and after insane biology teacher explained to me the nitration process. Used red HNO3 + H..4, did no cleaning - but you would not believe the bang from 30-40g. Learned to love and respect the chemistry.
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I did my engineering apprenticeship at a munitions factory in the uk, ROF 37 Bridgwater. We made RDX TNT and C4 explosives there and Composite and Plastic propellants there for solid fuel rockets. It’s no longer there being decommissioned over two decades ago. But yes lots of nasty chemicals involved and lots of waste washings were simply dumped into local waters. I can recommend seeing streams turn red. Or other colours depending on what was being dumped. You could only get away with it as it was ministry of defence site and had crown immunity which meant onsite it didn’t have to comply with local or national Health and Safety regulations. It works to the explosives act regulations.
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Even though the title says EXACTLY what has been shown to us, I didn't expect a manual how to make TNT this detailed. Makes me wonder why youtube recomended me this video in the middle of the night and if I'm on a watchlist now for going through the whole clip.
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At this point we need to start downloading the videos on this channel, if you ever want to see them again
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Dear my FBI surveillance officer, I clicked on this video purely because youtube suggested it and it looks interesting. I can't even brew my coffee right, let alone TNT
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Thank you so much, because of this video I can finally proceed with my plans.
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I'm not a chemist, but you have to admire the sheer range of the chemical sciences. It can make everything from bombs to bottles, and can explain how you work. There was a good vignette from my sister, who was in fact a chemist. Her first year chemistry teacher was going on about careers in chemistry, and said that "many students get started in chemistry because they want to make drugs or bombs". Then he started talking about other things. A hand went up. "yes", the teacher said. "what made YOU want to start chemistry, interest in bombs or drugs?". The teacher replied: "both, of course"...
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My grandfather was an artillery observer in the Imperial German Army during World War I. He reported that German soldiers in their trenches lit the TNT in the "pots" of their stick grenades and used it to heat up their food rations or drinks in an emergency. This was of course strictly forbidden, but everyone did it anyway. TNT must therefore have an unprecedented stability for an explosive.
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This is very similar to picric acid synthesis I can see why you chose TNT instead. We use to make this compound in small batches. It was used to clear large bolder on farm land. I still remember those days really awesome to see.
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I love how beautiful the process is
