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Explosive terrorism characteristics of explosives and explosions
Published in Robert A. Burke, Counter-Terrorism for Emergency Responders, 2017
Metal azides are inorganic explosive compounds composed of the N3 ion attached to a metal. Heavy metal azides are very explosive when heated or shaken. Those include silver azide (AgN3) and lead azide (PbN3). Lead azide is more explosive than other azides and is used in detonators that initiate secondary explosives. Sodium azide, NaN3, decomposes explosively upon heating above 275°C. Sodium azide releases diatomic nitrogen and is used in airbag and airline escape chute deployment. Sodium azide is highly toxic and behaves like cyanide inside the body (chemical asphyxiation). Response personnel should be very careful around automobile accidents where airbags have been deployed. The white powder residue is likely to contain sodium azide. Most inorganic and organic azides are prepared directly or indirectly from sodium azide. Sodium azide is used in the production of metal azide explosive compounds and as a detonator.
Explosives and Propellants: Power to Breach Mountains, Wage war and Visit the Moon
Published in Richard J. Sundberg, The Chemical Century, 2017
Sodium azide is quite toxic, with a lethal dose of about 10 mg/kg. It causes severe vasodilation and hypotension. By the mid 1990s, production reached about 5 million kg/year, with 50–100 g in each driver air bag and around 250 g in side air bags. Relatively, little is known about the disposal of NaN3 in the process of automobile salvage.3 In view of these disadvantages of NaN3, other compounds are being explored, for example guanidinium tetrazolate with Cu2(OH)2(NO3)2 as the oxidant.
Measurement of Electrolytic Conductance
Published in Grinberg Nelu, Rodriguez Sonia, Ewing’s Analytical Instrumentation Handbook, Fourth Edition, 2019
Stacy L. Gelhaus, William R. LaCourse
Some of the many applications of suppressed conductivity detection are outlined by Thermo Scientific. Suppressed conductivity detection is used with IC separation to determine trace contaminants, such as hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), in drinking water. While Cr(VI) is naturally occurring in the environment and found in water from the erosion of chromium deposits in rocks and soils, it is also produced by industrial processes and discharged into the environment by steel and pulp mills. Cr(VI) is toxic and poses potential health risks. Thus, chromates in the environment are regulated and considered a primary drinking water contaminant in the United States.38 In addition to monitoring drinking water for hexavalent chromium, it is also critical to monitor the azide anion. Sodium azide is the chemical used to trigger airbag inflation and is also used as a chemical preservative in hospitals and laboratories, for pharmaceutical manufacturing, for pest control in agriculture, and as a component of detonators and explosives. Additionally, the compound has been used in poisoning cases, so analysis is important for forensic investigations. Sodium azide is highly toxic when ingested or inhaled as a solid and readily dissolves in water to yield the azide anion (N3−). The anion is extremely toxic, preventing cells from using oxygen. If consumed in a non-fatal dose, the azide anion can cause a host of problems, including eye and skin irritation, headache, nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, blurred vision, low blood pressure, and kidney damage. Thermo Scientific outlines the routine monitoring of the azide a nion in aqueous samples (e.g., water, food products, bodily fluids, and biological buffers) using Reagent-Free Ion Chromatography with Eluent Generation (RFIC-EG) and suppressed conductivity detection. The sensitivity of the developed method allows direct injection, eliminating the need for derivatization or other laboratory sample preparation while providing detection limits of 50 ppb in water as reported by Thermo Scientific.39
A Methodological Approach to Select a Suitable Azodicarbonamide Based Airbag Gas Generant
Published in Combustion Science and Technology, 2023
Jeyabalaganesh G, Sivapirakasam S P, Sreejith Mohan, Aravind S.L, Harisivasri Phanindra K
The National Fire Protection Association 704 standard (NFPA, USA) classifies sodium azide as a hazardous chemical with a rating of 4 for health problems, i.e., relatively brief exposure could result in severe long-term damage or even death (2022). When the unreacted sodium azide is forced into the cabin during the airbag’s deflation, the occupants in the vehicle would also be exposed. Chang and Lamm (2003) reported that the direct inhalation of azide fuel dosages ranging from 0.3 to 150 mg had been associated with issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, keratitis, pulmonary trauma, hypotension, choking, coughing, and nasal edema, etc. Mohamed and Banerjee (1998) reported that chemical burns on passengers’ upper body regions happen due to the high decomposition temperature of the azide gas generant mixture. Furthermore, it is reported that the degradation of soil chemistry, contamination of groundwater, and the creation of volatile airborne species are all risks posed by the disposal of vehicles with unactivated airbags (Betterton 2003).
Burning Rate Characterization of Guanidine Nitrate and Basic Copper Nitrate Gas Generants with Metal Oxide Additives
Published in Combustion Science and Technology, 2022
Andrew J. Tykol, F. A. Rodriguez, J. C. Thomas, E. L. Petersen
The automotive industry utilizes gas generants for rapid gas production in airbag applications. Desirable design properties of such gas generants include rapid and large gas production, low combustion temperatures, and low-toxicity combustion products. Early airbags relied on alkali metal, azide-based gas generants, predominantly sodium azide (NaN3). Sodium azide was popular due to its reasonable gas output, low reaction temperature, and nontoxic combustion products (pure nitrogen gas), but there are numerous disadvantages to this gas generant as well (Meyer, Köhler, Homburg 2007). Prior to combustion, sodium azide is highly toxic, having an LD50 of 45 mg/kg, requiring special handling during manufacturing as well as end-of-useful-life disposal (Lund and Blau 1996). This chemical is also hazardous if it undergoes hydrolysis, producing highly toxic and potentially explosive hydrazoic acid (HN3). With the many exceedingly dangerous properties of sodium azide, there has been a push to find superior gas generants that still meet the required gas output and toxicity requirements of modern airbag systems.