FULMINATES, fill'mi-nats, compounds of fulminic acid (C: NOH), all of which are violently explosive. The most important of these is mercuric fulminate, which is formed by dissolving 10 parts by weight of mercury in 120 parts of nitric acid of the specific gravity 1.34 and, when cooled, pouring this solution into 110 parts of 95 per cent grain alcohol. At the normal temperature a reaction sets in which becomes quite turbulent, dense white fumes be ing given off and then red fumes, and after this the mercuric fulminate separates out as a gray, crystalline powder. It has the formula of HgOsN2G, and belongs to the class of chemical substances known as oximes. Its specific gravity is 4.42. When moist it may be handled without danger, but when dry, mercuric fulminate explodes violently if struck or com pressed or rubbed between hard surfaces; when heated to 367° F.; when touched with strong sulphuric or nitric acids; or when in contact with sparks from flint and steel or electric sparks. In all these cases the body undergoes a detonating explosion; and its principal use is to produce detonation in high explosives, though it is used also in percussion caps and primers to ignite gunpowder and other low explosives. Mercuric fulminate should be
stored and transported only in the moist con dition, yet even in this condition it can be ex ploded by the explosion of dry fulminate in contact with it. Certain amines like fulminat ing silver, gold, mercury and copper are fre quently confounded with the fulminates because they also are explosive. The best known of these is Berthollet's fulminating silver, which was used in the bomb which killed Tzar Alex ander II. This substance is produced only by the energetic oxidation of alcohol by nitric aciel, in the presence of silver nitrate, the operation being performed in capacious vessels. It separates out as a black, crystalline mass, which explodes on the slightest concussion when dry and may even be exploded by rubbing between hard substances when moist, so that it requires the greatest caution in handling. It has been repeatedly formed accidentally in the am moniacal silver solutions used to silvering mir rors and in the silver baths used in the wet processes of photography and has given rise to serious explosions. See EXPLOSIVES.