Talk:Nitroglycerin

message: Detonation is not always fast combustion. There are 2 kinds of explosives- high and low. low explosivse like gunpowder simply burn fast. High explosives like Nitroglycerin undergo a rapid exothermic reaction that is not combining with oxygen. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 21:15, 16 May 2006 65.43.148.79 (talk • contribs) .
Above and beyond the difference between detonation and deflagration which you appear to be trying to describe, NG can undergo detonation at two very different speeds (both rather faster than deflagration).Bert2368 19:07, 24 September 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Error-detonation

message: : 'It is colored yellow when it is decomposing due to acidic pH.'
I removed this.  If the (anonymous) authour of this comment meant "yellow in the presence of some particular indicator" then it shoud be left out.  If it is actually yellow itself, then if someone can explain why, then they should add it.  Acids are not just yellow because they are acid. TomViza 21:23, 25 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Colour / Color 

message: Surely this isn't right ...
"Early in the history of this explosive it was discovered that liquid nitroglycerin can be "desensitized" by cooling to 5 to 10 °C (40 to 50 °F), at which temperature it freezes"
"the solid is even more shock-sensitive than the liquid"
These two statements contradict each other.
:I'm not going to put this in the article, since this is pure speculation, but I think what may be happening is that since the liquid is able to conform to the shape of its container, it may be more likely to, simply move out of the way when, for example, a hammer strikes a drop of nitro, while the same would not be true of the solid. So while it may require more energy to detonate the solid, it may be easier to impart that energy. --AK7 22:46, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Well,  we all know how trust worthy that is: Errors in the Encyclopædia Britannica that have been corrected in Wikipedia.—WAvegetarian•CONTRIBUTIONSTALK• EMAIL• 18:56, 16 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Contradiction 

message: Surely this isn't right ...
"the explosive power of nitroglycerin is derived from detonation: a shock propagates through the fuel-rich medium at a supersonic speed"
"a self-sustained cascade of near instantaneous pressure-induced decomposition into gas of the explosive material which grows upon itself exponentially"
If a shock wave propagates through the medium at a fixed speed then the rate of the explosion will increase with the square of time (because the surface area of the shock wave increases with the square of its radius, which is increasing at a fixed rate).  This is not exponential growth. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 82.3.77.218 (talk • contribs) 20:02, 27 November 2005  (UTC)
:The initial shockwave propagates at a single speed but I think that if it indeed does cascade it would be exponential. Oh, you're also thinking in two dimmensions! Also, my math is a little rusty, but isn't two the exponent of a squared function? GreatMizuti 12:07, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: A function is exponential if one of its variables is in the exponent. Thus 2^x is exponential in x, while x^2 isn't. --Swift 18:24, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Is detonation an exponential phenomenon? 

message: "In this undiluted form it is one of the most powerful high explosives, comparable to the military explosives RDX and PETN (which are not used in munitions at full concentration because of their sensitivity) as well as the plastic explosive C-4."
I do not think the previous statement is true; RDX is incredibly stable at normal temperatures. That's why the military uses it in its pure form, although I am not sure enough of this statement to change it. Anyone to back me up?
Blutpanzer
:According to the RDX page, you are right: "at room temperature, it is a very stable product." But, it also says that below -4C, it cristallyses and becomes sensitive. I don't think that would be terribly useful to the military; as a general rule they require that their munitions be equally safe/useful in all climate conditions. RDX is used as a primary part of many military explosive compositions, but it is almost never the only ingredient.--AK7 02:00, 24 February 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Sensitivity of RDX 

message: "Give it one more wash with a concentrated sodium chloride solution and then test with litmus for acidity. It should be neutral or it will explode. Keep washing until it tests neutral with litmus."
That needs to be clarified.  If it were going to explode you would have already found out, and you wouldn't have had a chance to fix it.  What is it really meaning to say? Heresyte 01:04, 3 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Preparation: Neutral or it will explode? 

message: :Moved the following comment here from an unrelevant section above. --Swift 08:37, 24 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Nitrogen a common element in explosives? 

message: The density of nitroglycerine is obviously alot more than 1.13 kg / m^3, I assume the m^3 is meant to be dm^3 (ie. nitroglycerine is 13% heavier then water)
It is 1.6; it is listed in the sidebar.  The fact it sinks in water is a clue you are right.68.231.189.108 (talk) 15:17, 3 January 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Density ? 

message: In early 2006 the Nitroglycerin article had a section detailing the synthesis of the chemical. In February, it was mentioned on this talk page that this information might not be suitable for Wikipedia. A slow debate started and continued with interludes untill July 2006 when the matter was resolved.
The content was removed in accordance with the Wikipedia official policy on "Instruction manuals" in the Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate collection of information section) and moved to the wikibook Chemical synthesis.
: That Wikibook was subsequently deleted-- the information is lost.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.72.235.91 (talk) 23:30, 16 June 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: For further discussion on the topic or the archiving, please do not use the arcived discussion, but place your comments below. Once the discussion is over, these can be moved to the archive.
--Swift 22:36, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Suitability of synthesis description 

message: Not to be picky, but I just think that "sulfur" should be spelled one way or the other....not both. Particularly in the manufacturing section. I'll leave it to others to decide which form is better to use (European "sulphur" as opposed to American "sulfur"), but it should be uniform throughout, or it'll look dumb.
:According to WP:CHEMS guidelines (Wikipedia:WikiProject_Chemicals/Style_guidelines#Element_names) the spelling should be "sulfur".  Accordingly, I've made the necessary spelling changes.  --Ed (Edgar181) 19:27, 23 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Sulfur/Sulphur 

message: Perhaps this is old news, but the article nitroglycerin is presently being blocked by the SmartFilter Internet proxy software as a "criminal skills" page.  I am able to access the talk page.  This is the first time I've seen a Wikipedia page blocked by this particular filter.--EngineerScotty 00:45, 29 November 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Well, that was true before we edited the synthesis section so I suppose that makes sense.GreatMizuti 09:50, 20 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: What did it say before? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Tantrums (talk • contribs) 11:01, 24 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  This article (but not this talk page) blocked by my employer's [[net nanny]] 

message: This page really needs a citation for that, or it needs to be removed. Seriously. -OcciMoron
:Google and ye shall receive.GreatMizuti 09:50, 20 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Anal Fissure Treatment 

message: I beleive I learned the formula should be written C2H5(O-NO2)3
:Bonding location is important, yes, but strictly speaking the method which the formula is written depends on what in formation you're trying to communicate.GreatMizuti 10:44, 25 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Formula? 

message: It seems to me that this article (especaly the manufacturing section) should contain a warning that if you try to make nitroglycerin you run a huge risk of killing yourself.--Hacky 22:28, 20 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: You're saying that we should warn people that if try to synthesize explosives they could blow themselves up? Moreover that isn't a full-fleged sic recipe, it's an incredibly brief synthesis description that isn't too heavy on the chemistry.GreatMizuti 03:56, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

text: Errr... we're talking about a very complex chemical reaction that would require incredible skill and expensive equipment to produce safely. This isn't the type of thing where you mix water add salt and boil. The reason such types of synthesis explanations are on Wikipedia is to help explain the mechanism by which the reactions take place, and why they happen. The type of syntheses you see on Wikipedia are more theoretical in form, not practical. saumaun (talk) 07:39, 17 November 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  warning 

message: i think this article should be renamed, simply because, though commonly used, "nitroglycerin" is incorrect· Lygophile has spoken 13:31, 5 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  glyceryl trinitrate 

message: I find the article's very brief mention of NG's use in propellants to be unbalanced, as in the US this is currently it's largest use.
A section detailing the development of colloided powders using NG and nitrocellulose would seem to be in order- I will see what I can come up with.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bert2368 (talk • contribs) 18:59, 24 September 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: That's a good point and one I'd not noticed before. This use is well covered in smokeless powder, Poudre B, Ballistite and Cordite. You are welcome to add a new section, but I suggest you use:  and that way you only need to add a summary. The USA did not use nitroglycerin-based propellants in World War I and I got the impression the USA did not use them in World War II either, so its a relatively recent adoption (my lifetime anyway).Pyrotec 19:18, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

text: If you're thinking only of rifle propellants, that's true. The IMR's used in WWI and WWII rifle and machine gun ammo were single base. But the propellants for infantry mortars, bazooka rockets and some other tactical weapons were double based, and not insignifigant in quantity used. Double based ball powders were perfected before WWII, many varieties are now in military use, of course. The use of NG for commercial blasting explosives is now only of historical interest in the US- No NG based "dynamites" have been made here for quite a while.Bert2368 22:07, 24 September 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Propellant 

message: What happens when one drinks it? melikamp (talk) 20:42, 3 January 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I suggest you refer to Glyceryl trinitrate (pharmacology).Pyrotec (talk) 12:11, 4 January 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Consumption 

message: The solubility, if any, isn't listed. What is its solubility in alcohol, acetone, chloroform? What is the best solvent for it?68.231.189.108 (talk) 15:19, 3 January 2010 (UTC)
thread_title: Solubility/Solvent

message: Hello guys.  Excellent article.  I was wondering if you had any more information though.  I'm writing a novel and one of the main characters is synthesising nitroglycerine.
My question is how would he go about getting the synthesised nitroglycerine into a vessel like a pipe or a tin?  Is it just a matter of pouring it in like amatol?  Sounds a bit dangerous considering what I've learned already.  How was it introduced into a blasting vessel back in the day?  Was it cooled and then poured in when it was thicker and less sensitive?
It's only a tiny thing really, but I hate writing about something I've not researched.
Cheers in advance Captain deathbeard (talk) 14:49, 2 February 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Pouring 

message: * Nitroglycerin
* glyceryl trinitrate (pharmacology)
The man in the street (whether it be a pharmacologist, someone working with explosives, or another interested person) will look on Wikipedia/Google for Nitroglycerin, so this is probably the normal incoming page.  That page has extensive sections on its chemical data, its explosive data, its pharmacological data, and on its medical data.  Then the pharmacology, has a fork, which is in glyceryl trinitrate.  As the more important info is already in nitroglycerin (and people wanting info fast will not look on, they will look for the info there .. they even would expect the info here) there will be significant less people trying to find info on glyceryl trinitrate (pharmacology) (I know Wikipedia is used by medical people in emergency like-situations (maybe they shouldn't, but they do ..), if they then have to get to another page for the pharmacological data, and at the same time they do not get the full explosive data (say the medical case involves being subjected to a large amount of pure nitroglycerin), that seems to me that that is not exactly helping - administering antidote while by accident igniting the stuff ...).  To me, it looks silly that we have two articles on the same compound, where the second of the three main uses (IMHO, this compound is mainly known for its explosive function, then for its pharmacological function, and thirdly for some chemical and general properties) is forked into a seperate article.  I suggest hence to merge glyceryl trinitrate (pharmacology) into nitroglycerin.  --Dirk Beetstra T C 07:32, 1 April 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: Sorry, but I strongly disagree. The first line in the Nitroglycerin ("NG") article states "This article is about the chemical properties of nitroglycerin and its use as an explosive. For medical and pharmacological applications, see glyceryl trinitrate (pharmacology)." I think the main problem is the indiscriminate addition of pharmacological information in to the main Nitroglycerin ("NG") article. I tend to agree that there are two main uses, explosive and medical uses (for angina, etc). The "NG" article was written to cover bulk manufacture and its usage; and it (obviously) covers physical properties and some of the toxicological effects of exposure to "NG". The Glyceryl trinitrate (pharmacology) article has much more medical information about the use of this material as a drug, but surprisingly little in the way of Trade names - these appear in the "NG" article and really have no place being there. I don't know but I suspect that Glyceryl trinitrate intended for medical use is made in very small quantities in a pharmaceutical laboratory under a "medical products licence" and not in an explosive factory. I've never heard of a pharmacy exploding because someone has dropped the Glyceryl trinitrate tablets: the current Glyceryl trinitrate (pharmacology) article does not discuss the explosive use of this material and nor does it need to. I recommend that irrelevant material, i.e. medical Trade Names, etc, be removed from the Nitroglycerin article and that "medical aspects" of that article be limited to what was at one time called "Industrial exposure" (such as at this revision]). I further disagree with the suggestion that three articles are needed, or even desirable, with a third article covering chemical and general properties, this is vitally important to the safe manufacture, storage and use of both Nitroglycerin as a raw material and as an ingredient in explosive formulations (smokeless powder, dynamite, etc) that it needs to be in the Nitroglycerin article, not placed elsewhere in a separate "chemical article". Pyrotec (talk) 08:18, 1 April 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: Yes while I agree nitroglycerin in the parent article it should just provide a summary of the medical aspects. The extensive medical details should be dealt with on the subpage. The subpage would be better at Glyceryl trinitrate (medication) but that will need discussion elsewhere. We do this with the article on lithium. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 16:47, 1 April 2011 (UTC)

text: While it can be used as either an explosive or a vasodilator (generally), nitroglycerin and glyceryl trinitrate are the same exact thing. As such, the article should be all on one page with as much detail as is given in each as needed. An equivalent example to keeping these articles separate would be to make separate articles for "Water" and "H2O" simply because only those whom know chemistry can really understand the difference. Having two articles for the same thing waste space and has the potential to confuse people. Hippie King 15:38, 13 April 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: This is not two article for the same things. This is one article is a general overview of the topic. The other article is an in depth analysis of a particle aspect of the whole topic. We do this for many topics when it becomes to difficult to have everything on one page. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 17:01, 13 April 2011 (UTC)

text: I agree to merge the two articles. In their present condition, they look like a censorship attempt, to hide the fact that "glyceryl trinitrate", the good substance that saves people from heart failure, is actually nitroglycerin, the evil substance that explodes and kills people in acts of indescribable violence. Devil Master (talk) 17:21, 18 April 2011 (UTC)
replies: text:  Strongly disagree with merge.  Glyceryl trinitrate or GTN are the only terms I've seen used in medicine, Nitroglycerine is the term used in chemistry.  The scenario that someone covered in nitroglycerine will cause a rescuer to look up GTN prior to touching, fail to see it is explosive and set it off as a consequence seems silly.  These are articles with a lot of scope, would warrant IMHO a sub page for medical uses anyway and it simply makes less sense to have a Nitroglycerine(pharmacology) page when this is not the term used in medicine.  I do think the glyceryl trinitrate disambiguation page should just redirect to the pharm page, though the first line of either does the job people will usually be seeking medical information by using this term.  If anything we should downplay explosive properties in medical GTN which carries no explosion risk, we don't want to scare vulnerable people or cause patients to refuse treatment.  Ambix (talk) 07:52, 26 April 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Merge proposal 

message: Articles says "degrades over time to even more unstable forms" What does it degrade into? RJFJR (talk) 16:02, 12 May 2011 (UTC)
thread_title: Degrades

message: The article reads "Withdrawal can (rarely) be fatal".
If there have been rare cases where withdrawal has been fatal, why not just say so? Using parentheses seems to suggest that it's a suspicion even more uncertain than that.  Or am I being picky?Twistlethrop (talk) 17:05, 29 May 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: The whole section has no references and I did not write it; but yes, without any proof to hand, there might be a suspicion. How do you prove it: "death due to nitroglycerine withdrawal" is not a recognised form of death, so it'd not going to say that on the death certificate? Pyrotec (talk) 20:34, 2 June 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Industrial exposure  - withdrawal 

message: An image used in this article, , has been nominated for deletion at Wikimedia Commons in the following category: Deletion requests August 2011 
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thread_title: File:Nitroglycerin.svg Nominated for Deletion

message: Why is the formula given as C3N3H5O9?  I thought it was typically written as C3H5N3O9.  Explodo-nerd (talk) 18:51, 1 October 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Formula 

message: Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if nitroglycerin occurs anywhere in nature? If it does, it might be good to mention where in the article. If it does not, it might be good to mention that it is a purely man made substance. --Mlewan (talk) 21:41, 6 November 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: Nitroglycerin is not naturally occurring. It is formed through nitration of its parent compound, which is generally unfavored as it is making a more unstable compound. saumaun (talk) 07:49, 17 November 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Occurrence in nature? 

message: Some old page history that used to be at the title "Nitroglycerin" can now be found at Talk:Nitroglycerin/Old history. Graham87 08:23, 25 July 2015 (UTC)
thread_title:  Old page history 

message: As written the "Manufacture" section is somewhat misleading. The opening sentences of the section seem to falsely imply that Nitric Acid and Sulfuric Acid are the ONLY ingredients necessary to synthesize nitroglycerine.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1002:B006:EAC8:31DB:C4EF:8A54:B5EF (talk) 21:12, 9 November 2015 (UTC)
replies: text: Maybe it's been re-written since the above, but from what I remember of college chemistry (disclaimer: before most of you were born), it still seems odd.  It says "Nitroglycerin can be produced by acid catalyzed nitration of glycerol", but the picture appears to show both Nitric acid and Sulfuric acid as catalysts. (Both appear above the arrow, rather than to the left.) But since the only place the nitro groups can come from in the output is the nitric acid, in which case the nitric acid gets used up--it isn't a catalyst, only the sulfuric acid is.  So shouldn't the HNO3 be on the left-hand side of the arrow, rather than above the arrow? Mcswell (talk) 01:20, 29 February 2016 (UTC)
replies: text: Placing the nitric acid above the arrow avoids the issue with having to balance the equation. I'd guess that is why it's displayed that way. That said, the manufacture is not simply the reaction, but includes (should include) separation. (or some indication of how the 'oil' is separated from the reaction mixture.) As digression: 1) I really wonder if the stuff is still made in iron or lead lined reactors. 2) The section needs a rewrite, since it's best practice to discuss the "most often" method before other less relevant ones.3) Its name nitroglycerin doesn't distinguish between mono-, di-, and tri- esters. I doubt the stuff in commerce is 100% tri-ester (in fact, I strongly doubt it's 100% pure ester).174.130.71.156 (talk) 20:47, 17 October 2022 (UTC)
thread_title:  Manufacture Section Misleading 

message: Would an "In Popular Culture" section be appropriate?  Nitroglycerin features in many cartoons and other comic situations, usually because some character has ingested it and must avoid moving rapidly at all costs, while the plot throws repeated compulsions to do just that at the character.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.93.229.244 (talk) 04:23, 5 August 2020 (UTC)
thread_title:  In Popular Culture 

message: Removed the unsourced claim that nitroglycerine "degrades over time to even more unstable forms" . NG degrades to mono- and dinitroglycerides  which are more stable, not less, than the trinitroglyceride . Yappy2bhere (talk) 07:21, 3 May 2021 (UTC)
replies: text: This is an unsourced explanation for removing valid material from the article, or rather an unstantiated explanation made with two references that don't support the resoning given for removal of the material. Two (so called) supporting references are given: the first is an ammended / improved method of analysis for EPA Method 8330B, used to test for trace amounts of various explosive and propellant residues in the environment. It refers to a water, soil or sediment matrix - clearly it is not a method for analysing the stability of nitroglycerin. The referenced paper gives modified method of analysis enables the determination of trace amounts of four degratation products of nitroglycerin in water. The second reference is a patent claim for making dinitroglycerin. Neither of these provide any evidence to support the statement above that nitroglycerin degrades to become more stable. Pyrotec (talk) 22:15, 12 September 2021 (UTC)
thread_title:  [[Nitroglycerin#Instability and desensitization|Instability and desensitization]] 

message: I heard somewhere that before dynamite was invented nitroglycerin came in stick form. If this is true than what was the name of the explosive. 2.29.250.186 (talk) 15:02, 12 October 2022 (UTC)
replies: text: Wisest not to believe things that you "heard somewhere". They are very rarely true and neither is what you heard.  Velella  Velella Talk   20:50, 12 October 2022 (UTC)
replies: text: I stated above that what you heard is not true. Isn't that clear enough?  Velella  Velella Talk   16:30, 13 October 2022 (UTC)
thread_title:  I heard before Dynamite was invented, Nitroglycerin came in stick form 

message: According to the 1872 Supreme Court case,  https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/82/524/
a single 329 pound crate was unloaded from a steamer in San Francisco on April 14, 1866, and exploded at the Wells Fargo office on April 16.
On April 12, 1866, four days before the explosion, Bandmann, Nielsen & Co., Nobel's patent holder in California, conducted tests for the civil engineers and construction foremen with the Central Pacific Railroad at a location near Dutch Flat.
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=DAC18660418.2.3&srpos=1&dliv=none&e=-------en--20-DAC-1--txt-txIN-nobel%27s+patent+blasting+oil-------
The railroad tests were in no way connected to the Wells Fargo explosion. How do we change this? Sixtypoundrail (talk) 20:29, 18 November 2023 (UTC)
thread_title:  Central Pacific Railroad and Nitroglycerin