Potassium fulminate
Appearance
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Names | |
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IUPAC name
Potassium oxidoazaniumylidynemethane
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Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol)
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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Properties | |
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Molar mass | 81.115 g·mol−1 |
Hazards | |
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Main hazards
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Explosive |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Potassium fulminate is the potassium salt of the fulminate ion. Its only use, aside from chemical demonstrations, is in the percussion caps for some early rifles. Usually prepared by reacting a potassium amalgam with mercury fulminate,[1] it is much less sensitive due to the ionic bond between potassium and carbon, unlike the weaker covalent bond between mercury and carbon.
References
- ^ Z. Iqbal and A. D. Yoffe (1967). "Electronic Structure and Stability of the Inorganic Fulminates". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. 302 (1468): 35–49. doi:10.1098/rspa.1967.0225.