Fusible explosives

During World War II cyclonite was used by all the combatants to increase the power of composite explosives. Fusible mixtures of TNT with cyclonite were prepared, mainly with an admixture of aluminium, and mixtures of TNT with hexyl and cyclonite also with admixture of aluminium (pp. 271-272). 

Several min after addition of ethanol to a mixture of the amide chloride ( fusible white precipitate ) and iodine, an explosion occurs. Addition of the compound to chlorine gas or bromine vapour leads to a delayed violent or explosive reaction. Amminemetal salts behave similarly, and formation of A-halogen compounds is involved in all cases. 

High explosives will be classified primarily according to their consistency, which may be fusible, semi-fusible or infusible, plastic or liquid. They will then be arranged according to their most characteristic component. 

Composition of fusible explosive mixtures employed in France... 

A more modem solution of the problem of fusible materials was given by Leitman [4] in the U.S.S.R. who developed L-alloy , an explosive consisting of 95% TNT and 5% trinitroxylene melting at 74°C. L-Alloy has an explosive power... 

Fusible mixtures with ammonium nitrate as the chief constituent were also manufactured and utilized in Germany during World War II under the name of S explosives. 

In all explosives of this kind the fusible constituent of the mixture was ammonium nitrate with other nitrates, e.g. of sodium, potassium or calcium (with water of crystallization), of organic bases such as methylamine, ethylenediamine, guanidine etc. and urea. Since on Solidification these mixtures become very dense and detonate with great difficulty, PETN, cyclonite or TNT were usually added. The composition of some of these mixtures is given in Table 47. 

Manueli and Bernardini [17] proposed an easily fusible mixture consisting of ammonium nitrate, guanidine nitrate and nitroguanidine. According to them such mixtures may be melted at a temperature below 130°C. The explosive Albit, based on Manueli and Bernardini s patent, consisting of six parts of ammonium nitrate, two parts of guanidine nitrate and two parts of nitroguanidine, has been used in Italy. 

It was also suggested recently that fusible explosives should be used instead of semi-fusible ones. For this purpose TNT is replaced as a component by relatively low-melting nitric esters. 

During World War II a mixture of TNT (48%) with ammonium picrate (52%) known as Picratol was employed to replace pure ammonium picrate (Explosive D) in the United States. This was a semi-fusible mixture cast into shells at a temperature above the melting point of TNT. After solidification the density of the mixture was 1.62. In accordance with the opinion prevailing in that country that ammonium picrate is an explosive with a low sensitiveness to impact, it was used for filling armour-piercing shells. 

The mixing of semi-fusible explosives is commonly carried out in kneaders, first heating the ammonium nitrate to a temperature of 85-90°C and then pouring in the molten TNT. After stirring, the material is cooled down in the kneader to produce a mixed crystalline mass. 

During World War II the use of aluminium in military explosives was resumed on a wide scale. Thus sea mines and German torpedoes were loaded with a fusible mixture of hexyl and TNT supplemented by 10—25% of metallic aluminium (Trial). 

The moulded slabs of this explosive were cast into the shell and the spaces between them was filled with a fusible mixture, e.g. KMA. 

Naoiim [51] proposed the use of methylamine nitrate as an ingredient of fusible explosives. During World War II it was employed in Germany, under the name Man-Salz as one of components of a fusible explosive blend used for filling missiles, along with sodium nitrate and cyclonite. 

According to le Roux [53] tetramethylammonium nitrate has no explosive properties it did not detonate even when initiated by a strong charge of PETN. Attempts to provoke explosive decomposition by impact failed. Le Roux suggested that the compound might be used as an ingredient of explosive mixtures, for instance blended with cyclonite or incorporated in a fusible mixture with ammonium nitrate (see Vol. III). 

Trinitroxylene is used as an additive for fusible explosive compositions mixed with TNT, with TNT and picric acid, or with ammonium nitrate (Vol. III). For the compositions of various eutectics with trinitroxylene see p. 400. 

Trinitronaphthalene is similar to dinitrobenzene as regards its explosive power. Before and during World War I it was fairly widely used, first in France and later in Germany, for filling shells, mostly in fusible mixtures with TNT. 

The composition of various practically applied eutectics given by picric acid is discussed in the chapter on fusible explosive compositions in Vol. III. 

The application of hexyl as an explosive goes back as far as 1910. It was widely used in Germany during the two World Wars, mostly in fusible compositions, with TNT and with or without ammonium nitrate as a third constituent for filling torpedoes, marine mines, bombs and whenever a particularly high explosive power was required. During World War II aluminium was also added to hexyl compositions (Vol. III). 

Phenothiazine nitrated to its tetranitro derivative was used by the Germans during World War II as a component of a non-fusible explosive composition known under the name of Pressling . Monard, Ficheroulle and Fournier [45] found the compound to be phenothiazine tetranitrosulphoxide (I) (m. p. 368°C) ... 

Fusible explosives such as TNT and TNT mixtures may be melted out of their containers (grenades, bombs, mines) after removal of detonators and booster charges. The material thus obtained may be purified and re-used for non-military purposes. 

Guanidine nitrate is employed in formulating fusible mixtures containing ammonium nitrate and other nitrates such mixtures were extensively used during the war as substitutes for explosives, for which the raw materials were in short supply. Flowever, a highbrisance explosive such as Flexogen or another explosive must usually be added... 

Fusible explosives Mixtures of nitro compounds Mixtures with ammonium nitrate Manufacture and selection of fusible mixtures The flegmatizaiion of fusible mixtures Semi-fusible and infusible explosives Mixtures with nitrates — mainly with ammonium nitrate Mixtures with aluminium and other metak The preparation of S-iypc mixtures Mixtures with chlorates and perchlorates Mixtures with potassium and sodium chlorates Mixtures with potassium and ammonium perchlorates Plastic explosives... 

Ignition Temperature, This is usually determined by placing 0 1 g. of the explosive in a smalt test tube, which is then corlud and placed in a fusible metal bath at 100. The temperature is raised 5 per minute until inflammation or explosion occurs. The quantity and rate of heating difler m diffei t countries. 

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