Stability and Degradation Processes of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) on Metal Oxide Surfaces

The chemical stability of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) when placed in physical contact with metal oxide surfaces is investigated. The TNT is deposited at 1–3 monolayers of coverage on the surface of microcrystalline MnO2, CuO, WO3, MoO3, Bi2O3, SnO2, and Fe2O3 by wet impregnation. The samples were placed in a 50°C oven and allowed to react over a period of 11 months. Periodically, samples were removed and analyzed chromatographically to determine whether products were being formed at the surface of the oxide. TNT proved to be inert to most oxides; however, both CuO and MnO2 effected a clean decomposition of the TNT into tri-nitrobenzene.