Legoman2179

I am wondering what is released in an ammonium nitrate explosion.

Ammonium Nitrate = NH4NO3

I am wondering what is released in a Tannerite explosion.

The formula is NH(4)NO(3)+Al.

Tannerite is made of the elements:

• Nitrogen (N)

• Hydrogen (H)

• Oxygen (O)

• Aluminum (Al)

Hi, I am doing a project on a mixture of Aluminum and Ammonium Nitrate. When you mix these together it makes an explosive, which will only go off when you shoot it with a rifle.

I have a few questions regarding what happens between the two.

1. What makes the aluminum a catalyst

2. Is the ammonium nitrate detonating?

3. From what I've read, the aluminum acts as a catalyst and makes a lower energy pathway for detonation. The aluminum makes the the ammonium nitrate unstable. Is this correct?

4. Does the aluminum make a small detonation when under high pressure or is impacted very hard?

If this is totally wrong feel free to tell me what is going on in the mixture.

Thanks.