136 Making Picric Acid from Aspirin

Published in

· 28 Dec 2019

  

Making Picric Acid from Aspirin                         by the Jolly Roger 

     Picric Acid can be used as a booster explosive in detonators, a high  
explosive charge, or as an intermediate to preparing lead picrate. 

Material Required 
----------------- 
Aspirin tablets (5 grains per tablet) 
Alcohol, 95% pure 
Sulfuric acid, concentrated, (if battery acid, boil until white fumes  
     disappear) 
Potassium Nitrate (see elsewhere in this Cookbook) 
Water 
Paper towels 
Canning jar, 1 pint 
Rod (glass or wood) 
Glass containers 
Ceramic or glass dish 
Cup 
Teaspoon 
Tablespoon 
Pan 
Heat source 
Tape 

Procedure: 
--------- 

1) Crush 20 aspirin tablets in a glass container. Add 1 teaspoon of water  
and work into a paste. 
2) Add approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup of alcohol (100 millilitres) to the  
aspirin paste; stir while pouring. 
3) Filter the alcohol-aspirin solution through a paper towel into another  
glass container. Discard the solid left in the paper towel. 
4) Pour the filtered solution into a glass or ceramic dish. 
5) Evaporate the alcohol and water from the solution by placing the dish  
into a pan of hot water. White powder will remain in the dish after  
evaporation. 

NOTE: The water in the pan should be at hot bath temperature, not boiling,  
approx. 160 to 180 degress farenheit. It should not burn the hands. 

6) Pour 1/3 cup (80 millilitres) of concentrated sulfuric acid into a  
canning jar. Add the white powder to the sulfuric acid. 
7) Heat canning jar of sulfuric acid in a pan of simmering hot water bath  
for 15 minutes; then remove jar from the bath. Solution will turn to a  
yellow-orange color. 
8) Add 3 level teaspoons (15 grams) of potassium nitrate in three portions  
to the yellow-orange solution; stir vigorously during additions. Solution  
will turn red, then back to a yellow-orange color. 
9) Allow the solution to cool to ambient room temperature while stirring  
occasionally. 
10) Slowly pour the solution, while stirring, into 1-1/4 cup (300  
millilitres) of cold water and allow to cool. 
11) Filter the solution through a paper towel into a glass container. Light  
yellow particles will collect on the paper towel. 
12) Wash the light yellow particles with 2 tablespoons (25 millilitres) of  
water. Discard the waste liquid in the container. 
13) Place articles in ceramic dish and set in a hot water bath, as in step  
5, for 2 hours. 

                              --------------Jolly Roger