 PICRIC ACID                  Brought to you by: -= Exodus =-



     Picric acid, also known as Tri-Nitro-Phenol, or T.N.P., is a military
explosive that is most often used as a booster charge to set off another less
sensitive explosive, such as T.N.T.  It another explosive that is fairly
simple to make, assuming that one can acquire the concentrated sulfuric and
nitric acids.  Its procedure for manufacture is given in many college
chemistry lab manuals, and is easy to follow.  The main problem with picric
acid is its tendency to form dangerously sensitive and unstable picrate salts,
such as potassium picrate.  For this reason, it is usually made into a safer
form, such as ammonium picrate, also called explosive D.  A social deviant
would probably use a formula similar to the one presented here to make picric
acid.

     MATERIALS                         EQUIPMENT
     ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ                         ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
     phenol (9.5 g)                    500 ml flask

     concentrated                      adjustable heat source
     sulfuric acid  (12.5 ml)
                                       1000 ml beaker
     concentrated nitric               or other container
     acid (38 ml)                      suitable for boiling in

     distilled water                   filter paper
                                       and funnel

                                       glass stirring rod


1) Place 9.5 grams of phenol into the 500 ml flask, and carefully add 12.5 ml
   of concentrated sulfuric acid and stir the mixture.

2) Put 400 ml of tap water into the 1000 ml beaker or boiling container and
   bring the water to a gentle boil.

3) After warming the 500 ml flask under hot tap water, place it in the boiling
   water, and continue to stir the mixture of phenol and acid for about thirty
   minutes.  After thirty minutes, take the flask out, and allow it to cool
   for about five minutes.

4) Pour out the boiling water used above, and after allowing the container to
   cool, use it to create an ice bath, similar to the one used in section
   3.13, steps 3-4.  Place the 500 ml flask with the mixed acid an phenol in
   the ice bath.  Add 38 ml of concentrated nitric acid in small amounts,
   stirring the mixture constantly.  A vigorous but "harmless" reaction should
   occur.  When the mixture stops reacting vigorously, take the flask out of
   the ice bath.

5) Warm the ice bath container, if it is glass, and then begin boiling more
   tap water.  Place the flask containing the mixture in the boiling water,
   and heat it in the boiling water for 1.5 to 2 hours.

6) Add 100 ml of cold distilled water to the solution, and chill it in an ice
   bath until it is cold.

7) Filter out the yellowish-white picric acid crystals by pouring the solution
   through the filter paper in the funnel.  Collect the liquid and dispose of
   it in a safe place, since it is corrosive.

8) Wash out the 500 ml flask with distilled water, and put the contents of the
   filter paper in the flask.  Add 300 ml of water, and shake vigorously.

9) Re-filter the crystals, and allow them to dry.

10) Store the crystals in a safe place in a glass container, since they will
    react with metal containers to produce picrates that could explode
    spontaneously.


