R. Meyer J. Köhler A. Homburg Explosives

Explosives
material may be much slower than the velocity of sound (W Deflagration;
W Gunpowder) or may be supersonic (W Detonation). Explosives
are solid, liquid, or gelatinous substances or mixtures of individual
substances, which have been manufactured for blasting or propulsion
purposes. For their effectiveness: W Strength; W Burning Rate; W Brisance.
Materials which are not intended to be used for blasting or shooting
may also be explosive. They include, for example, organic peroxide
catalysts, gas-liberating agents employed in the modern manufacture
of plastic materials and plastic foams, certain kinds of insecticides etc.
Table 11 gives a an overview of explosive materials.
2. Important Explosives
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Of the many explosive chemicals discussed in this book, the following
are, at present, of industrial or military importance:
Nitro compounds:
W TNT in various degrees of purity, as defined by the
solidification point of the material; pure 2,4- and 2,6-isomers
of dinitrotoluene (as propellant components) and
low-melting isomer mixtures (for commercial explosives);
Aromatic nitramines:
W Tetryl (trinitrophenylnitramine) for booster charges and
secondary blasting cap charges;
Aliphatic nitramines:
W Hexogen (RDX) and W Octogen (HMX) as components
for high-brisance compositions (W Compositions B;
W Hollow Charges); W Nitroguanidine as the main component
in powders with low explosion heat and in rocket
propellants.
Nitrate esters:
W Nitroglycerine, which is still of primary importance in
commercial explosives, smokeless powders and rocket
propellants;
W Nitroglycol in commercial explosives only;*)
W PETN as a high-brisance component, which is phlegmatized
and pressed for booster charges; it is also employed
as a secondary charge of blasting caps and as a
detonating cord charge;
* Nitroglycol-based gelatinous explosives being replaced by W Emulsion Slurries.