TM 31-210
Improvised Munitions Handbook
| Section I |
No. 16 |
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TACC (TETRAMMINECOPPER (II) CHLORATE |
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| Tetramminecopper (II) chlorate is a primary explosive that can be make from sodium chlorate, copper sulfate, and ammonia. This explosive is to be used with a booster explosive such as picric acid (Section I, No. 21) or RDX (Section I, No. 15) in the fabrication of detonators (Section VI, No. 13). | |
| MATERIALS REQUIRED: | SOURCES: |
| Sodium chlorate | Section I, No. 23 Medicine Weed killer, hardware store |
| Copper sulfate | Section I, No. 14 Insecticide, hardware store Water purifying agent |
| Ammonia hydroxide | Household ammonia Smelling salts |
| Alcohol, 95% pure | |
| Wax, clay, pitch, etc. | |
| Water | |
| Bottle, narrow mouth (wine or coke) | |
| Bottles, wide mouth (mason jars) | |
| Tubing (rubber, copper, steel) to fit narrow mouth bottle | |
| Teaspoon | |
| Improvised scale | Section VII, No. 8 |
| Paper towel | |
| Pan | |
| Tape | |
| Cup | |
| PROCEDURE: | |
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1. Measure 1/3 teaspoon (2-1/2 grams) of sodium chlorate into a wide mouth bottle. Add 10 teaspoons of alcohol. |
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2. Place the wide mouth bottle in a pan of hot water. Add 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of copper sulfate to the mixture. Heat for a period of 30 minutes just under the boiling point and stir occasionally. |
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NOTE: Keep volume of solution constant by adding additional alcohol approximately every 10 minutes. |
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CAUTION: Keep solution away from flame. |
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3. Remove solution from the pan and allow to cool. Color of solution will change from blue to light green. Filter solution through a paper towel into another wide mouth bottle. Store solution until ready for Step 6. |
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4. Add 1 cup (250 milliliters) of ammonia to the narrow mouth bottle. |
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5. Place tubing into the neck of bottle so that it extends about 1-1/2 inches (4 centimeters) inside bottle. Seal tubing to bottle with wax, clay, pitch, etc. |
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6. Place free end of tubing into the chlorate-alcohol-sulfate solution (Step 3). heat bottle containing ammonia in a pan of hot water, but not boiling, for approximately 10 minutes. |
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7. Bubble ammonia gas through the chlorate-alcohol-sulfate solution, approximately 10 minutes, until the color changes from light-green to dark blue. Continue bubbling for another 10 minutes. |
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CAUTION: At this point the solution is a primary explosive. Keep away from flame. |
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8. Remove the solution from the pan and reduce the volume to about 1/3 of its original volume by evaporating in the open air or in a stream of air. |
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Note: Pour solution into a flat container for faster evaporation. |
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9. Filter the solution through a paper towel into a wide mouth bottle to collect crystals. Wash crystals with 1 teaspoon of alcohol and set aside to dry (approx. 16 hours). |
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NOTE: The drying time can be reduced to 2 hours if a hot (not boiling) water bath is used. |
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CAUTION: Explosive is shock and flame sensitive. Store in a capped container. |
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