Lead-free initiating agents or initiating agent mixtures

#The invention relates to lead-free initiators or lead-free initiator mixtures and initiating compositions and igniting compositions which contain the lead-free initiators or lead-free initiator mixtures.

#Initiators and initiator mixtures detonate even in small amounts after triggering of a chemical reaction. The triggering of the chemical reaction can occur mechanically, electrically of thermally. The initiators and initiator mixtures react in initiating compositions and igniting compositions (initiating charge or igniting charge) with appropriate sensitivity to the external mechanical, electrical or thermal impulse. In initiating compositions, they additionally serve as initial charge for producing a detonation which is sufficiently powerful to initiate the starting charge. Initiators have been used for more than 100 years for initiating secondary explosives (e.g. hexogen and nitropenta).

#An initiator or an initiator mixture has to meet particular requirements:

#Copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and 1,2-di(tetrazol-1-yl)ethane are dissolved in a mixture of water and ethanol at 75° C. with stirring. Sodium azide is dissolved in a mixture of water and ethanol and slowly added dropwise to the reaction solution having a temperature of 75° C. while stirring. After addition is complete, the total solution is cooled and the solid obtained is filtered off with suction and washed with water and ethanol. The resulting poly{tetraazidodi(tetrazol-1-yl)ethanedicopper(II)} product is dried under vacuum.

#Poly{tetraazidodi(tetrazol-1-yl)ethanedicopper(II)} decomposes at 195° C. and has a friction sensitivity of 0.1 N (BAM method) and an impact sensitivity of 2.0 J (BAM method). 20 mg of poly{tetraazidodi(tetrazol-1-yl)ethanedicopper(II)} are able to initiate nitropenta reliably.