Solid incendiaries

Memo, C. W. Tyson, aS Nov 41, sub Info Gained from Messrs H. F. Allen and H. Austin on Building Construction Abroad. CRL Corres File ProJ AB.d—1—Incendiaries, Solid Oil, FY 194a. KCRC (a) Thermate was a mixture of >0 percent thermite and ao percent of the Ordnance Department s Ms flare mixture. 

Igniters. A pellet composed of 26.5% K. perchlorate, 16.6% Ba nitrate, 53,9% 50/50 Zr/Ni alloy, and 3.0% et cellulose can be used to ignite solid propint grains (Ref 25), A series of mixts of K perchlorate with powd metals and other oxidizable mat were examined as substitutes for BikPdr as a gun primer. Most of the mixts tested were found to be satisfactory and to be compatible with brass and other metals (Ref 9) Incendiary Compositions. Stoichiometric mixts of K perchlorate with metals and oxidizable mat have been proposed as incendiaries of the Thermit type and have heats of reaction as follows Al dust 2504, powd Mg 2429. red P 1477, powd S 705 and powd C (lampblack) 1118cal/g (Ref 4). A mixt of 12.5% K perchlorate, 75% powd Zr, and 12,5% of a 50/50 Al/Mg alloy is reported to be a readily-ignited incendiary (Ref 20). Mixts of powd Al and/or powd Fe with K perchlorate with 1.5—2% NC as a binder are also good incendiaries (Ref 35). 

To use the gunpowder, pile 2 or 3 spoonfuls on top of any solid incendiary material which is to be ignited. For igniting liquids in open containers, wrap 2 or 3 spoonfuls in a piece of paper and suspend it just above the liquid. 

Metal fume agents are odorless solids dispersed as aerosols from incendiary devices. Depending on various factors, the aerosol may or may not be visible. 

Phosphorus is available in two forms, white (or yellow) and red. White phosphorus appears to be molecular, with a formula of P,. It is a waxy solid with a melting point of 44°C, and ignites spontaneously on exposure to air. It must be kept cool and is usually stored under water. It is highly toxic in both the solid and vapor form and causes burns on contact with the skin. Its use in pyrotechnics is limited to incendiary and white smoke compositions. The white smoke consists of the combustion product, primarily phosphoric acid (H 3PO,). 

A variation of the preheated iron shot was the hollow projectile charged with incendiary mixtures, intended to bring the shell to a red hot temperature after impact. This device was not as effective, however, as solid iron balls, or the previously described missiles hurled by catapults... 

A. Wolfson, 26, 4720 (1932). Incendiary compound, which may be ignited by a spark produced by friction, is prepd by mixing solid fuels, such as hex (CH2)6N4 or metaldehyde, with readily flammable substances, such as NC, P or nitrophenols. The composition may be pressed into tablets... 

Because flammable liquid materials ate not convenient to handle, attempts were made to convert them into a solid state. During WWI solid oils had already been prepd by treating the petroleum distillates with sodium stearate or other materials, but they were used only in some incendiary bombs, shells, Li yen s drams and trench stoves, and not in flame throwers... 

Gel for Incendiary Bombs. Addition of 8—15% lanostemlto petroleum hydrocarbons forms a solid gel suitable for use in incendiary bombs... 

Benzene, 50 parts may be gelled by adding potassium tridecylxanthate 3 parts naphtha 50 parts will further stabilize the gel. Possible uses are solid fuels, lubricants, military incendiaries hydraulic fractaring fluids. Addition of w, 3—5 S, will liquefy the gel... 

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

Liquid incendiary Solidified liquid or gel Solid incendiary... 

H.R. Waite, Incendiary Composition Containing a Metallic Fuel and Solid Fluorocarbon Polymer , USP 3565706 (February 23,... 

Over the years, the thermite reaction has been used for welding railroad rails, in incendiary bombs, and to ignite solid-fuel rocket motors. The reaction is... 

The theoretical study of incendiary reactions has been aided by the use of com.puter programs for the study of the equil products (Refs 15 41), as well as for the prediction of the adiabatic reaction temps. An example of the complexity of the reaction products of a fluorocarbon, compounded with 5% epoxy binder, is given by Tanner (Ref 80). It will be observed, that only the carbon remains as solid product, and that the effect of the fluorine is one of increasing the fraction of gaseous products, as well as to provide the thermal energy (see Table 8)... 

Solid oil Mixture of paraffin hydrocarbons SO None Incendiary agent None None None 1... 

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