Determinant research of ammonium nitrate content in improvised explosive devices through the acid/base titration method or ammonium nitrate confirmation through infrared absorption spectroscopy

Abstract

The aim of this document is to determine the chemical composition, specifically the ammonium nitrate, and in that sense find out the composition of the explosives manufactured with this chemical substance and others. The ammonium nitrate is the essential base for explosives manufacturing different to ANFO, just as the improvised explosive materials like R, R1, R2 and others. The ammonium nitrate determination was realized by means of the acid/base titration method with previous treatment of the sample with formaldehyde and confirmation of the target material through infrared absorption spectroscopy.