Decomposition of inorganic fulminates

Abstract

A study has been made of the slow thermal and photochemical decomposition of mercury, silver, sodium and thallous fulminates. The products of decomposition were analyzed using a variety of physical techniques and optical and electron microscopes were used to examine some of the crystals. The decomposition of the fulminates is complex but the rate-determining step probably involves bond rupture in the covalent fulminates. A simplified model based on electron transfer is postulated for sodium and thallous fulminates. A possible explanation for the extreme sensitivity of the ionic fulminates is proposed.