Incendiary formulations

The thermate mixture, composed of thermite and various additives, is used in igniter compositions for magnesium bombs. A number of such compositions have been developed. Three of these were Therm-8, Thermate-TH2 (formerly Therm-8-2), and Thermate-TH3 (formerly Therm-64-C). Therm-8 was the precursor of later, improved igniting formulations TH2 differs from Therm-8 in that TH2 contains no sulfur and slightly less thermite. TH3 was found to be superior to the others and thus adopted for use in the incendiary magnesium bomb. The wt % composition of TH3 is thermite, 68.7 barium nitrate, 29.0 sulfur, 2.0 and as a binder, oil, 0.3. 

Incendiary type warhead (with gelled formulations like Napalm and solid formulations based on pyrophoric metals)-used against fuel and ammunition dumps etc. 

Heat (a) Incendiary devices (Flame thrower fuels, Napalm bombs) (b) Igniters (a) For setting fire to combustible targets. (b) For producing intense heat for ignition of subsequent train of formulations and propellants. 

Thermite formulations give temperature =3000 °C at the time of burning. However, burning time and spread area are not large compared with gelled incendiaries. 

A proprietary incendiary formulation which is suitable for pressing or machining of complex shapes is marketed by Quantic Industries, Inc, San Carlos, Ca, 94070 under tire registered trademark QAZ. This system consists of 0.1 —1mm... 

Selenium when added to incendiary formulations, produces an oxide smoke which can cause lung oedema when inhaled (Ref 8). Toxicity, low dust or fumes causes serious irritation of respiratory tract (Ref 7)... 

Beneficial effects of arsenic compounds have been known for a very long time. Arsenic was important in the development of metallurgy at the beginning of the Bronze Age, and later as a pigment and as an incendiary warfare ingredient. Since ancient and classical times arsenic formulations have been prescribed to cure diseases. 

Phosphorus occurs in three allotropic forms white, red, and black. Of these, white phosphorus was used most often during World War II in military formulations for smoke screens, marker shells, incendiaries, hand grenades, smoke markers, colored flares, and tracer bullets. 

Periodate salts have seen some application in propellant formulations and their use as environmentally friendly oxidizers in pyrotechnic formulations has been reported [13]. In particular, Moretti, Sabatini and Chen have developed incendiary mixtures featuring periodate salts KIO4 and NaI04 that perform similarly to perchlorates but are less toxic [13]. Combined with the alloy magnalium (magnesium-aluminium, 1 1) as the fuel, these mixtures produce a bright flash of light. 

The figures for the heat of combustion as such play a subordinate part in pyrotechnics. They arc of importance in those formulations that burn in air and contain an excess of a fuel beyond the equivalent amount of oxidizer. The excess fuel is most often magnesium or an organic binder. Also, in many incendiaries, the major fuel such as magnesium or magnesium alloy bodies as well as most of the incendiary filler materials (kerosine, phosphorus) burn in ambient air. Table 20 furnishes a list of elements and Table 21 a list of compounds whose caloric output and other data may be of interest. Figures for the heat output per unit volume are theoretical, realized only if the substance bums as a compact non-porous solid or liquid. 

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