5401. Lead Azide

Nomenclature

CAS number: 13424-46-9
N6Pb; mol wt 291.24.
N 28.86%, Pb 71.14%.
Pb(N3)2.

Description and references

Prepd from sodium azide and lead nitrate: Schenk in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry vol. 1, G. Brauer, Ed. (Academic Press, New York, 2nd ed., 1963) p 763. Review: B. T. Fedoroff et al., Encyclopedia of Explosives and Related Items vol. 1 (Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, N.J., 1960) pp A545-A587. Review of toxicology and human exposure: Toxicological Profile for Lead (PB99-166704, 1999) 640 pp.

Properties

Needles or white powder. Explodes at 350° or on percussion. Heat of formation (25°): +110.5 kcal/mol. Soly in water: 0.023% at 18°; 0.09% at 70°. Freely sol in acetic acid. Insol in NH4OH.

Use

As primer in explosives. In the form of dextrinated lead azide.