Explosive Obscurant Properties

This is the first documented record of a combustion reaction between a metal and halocarbon compound. 

In 1913, the German chemist Hermann Staudinger (1881-1965) tried to synthesize illusive ethylenedione (0=C=C=0). Therefore, he aimed at abstracting the halogen atoms (X) from either oxalyl chloride and -bromide, (COX)2 by a reaction with potassium or its sodium alloy (NaK). He observed that mixtures of the reactants after some initial delay at ambient temperature would become highly sensitive to impact and would fiercely detonate if struck. Thus, he speculated about the formation of an unknown highly reactive intermediate [11]. 

50wt% Tetrachloromethane 20wt% Zinc oxide 5 wt% Diatomaceous earth 

Hexachloroethane C2CU CaSi2 Sodium nitrate NaNOj 

Further refinements and modifications of Berger s smoke mixture were successively undertaken by Metivier (1926) [18,19] and Brandt (1937) [20] both in France. 

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