
Hazards, Terrorism, and Weapons of Mass Destruction ◾ 25
Table 2.13 Characteristics and Specications of Nitroglycerin
Color: Yellow oil
CAS number: 55-63-0
Empirical formula: C
3
H
5
N
3
O
9
Molecular weight: 227.1
Energy of formation: −1539.8 kJ/kg
Enthalpy of formation: −1632.4 kJ/kg
Optimum oxygen balance: +3.5%
Optimum nitrogen content: 18.50%
Volume of explosion gases: 716 L/kg
Heat of explosion
(H
2
O liquid): 6671 kJ/kg
(H
2
O gas): 6214 kJ/kg
Specic energy: 1045 kJ/kg
Density: 1.591 g/cm
3
Solidication point: +13.2°C (stable modication),+2.2°C
(unstable modication)
Specic heat: 1.3 kJ/kg
Lead block test: 520 cm
3
/10 g
Detonation velocity, conned: 7600 m/s