Lead Azide

Lead azide is a crystalline, cream-colored com-pound which is practically insoluble in water. When lead azide is stored in water, however, care must be taken to assure that the water is free of bacteria-forming impurities which may react with the dextri-nated lead azide to form a gas. Lead azide shall not be exposed to copper, zinc, or metal al-loys because of the possible formation of other, more sensitive azides.

Lead Azide has a high temperature of ignition and is less sensitive to shock and friction than mercury fulminate. It is also less brisant than mercury fulminate. Lead Azide has been adopted as the detonator of major caliber base detonating fuzes, point detonating fuzes, and of auxiliary detonating fuzes. It is also used in priming mixtures.