Nitric oxide boosters

All of our explosive samples that we ve used so far, with the exception of solid nitric oxide, contain 0.1 g or less. With NO, quantities of 25-35 mmole are used to ensure detonation. The densities are relatively low so that pure explosives can be detonated without booster charges. Kapton slappers driven by deposited copper bridges detonate all but the solid NO and TNT. these. PETN booster charges are required. 

Figure 13. Sample data obtained by shocking solid nitric oxide with a PETN booster. These are all of the ions that were observed with any significant intensity. About 65% of the NO was consumed in the detonation, about 19% through the production of Ng andOg.

Devices for compressing gases are used extensively in the chemical industry (see "High Pressure Techniques"), eg, in the manufacture of nitric acid by the ammonia oxidation process Compressors for transferring gases and vapors may be divided into vacuum pumps or exhausters (when the gas is below atmospheric pressure) and into fans, blowers, boosters and ax . I compressors (when the gases are above atmospheric pressure)... 

HMX and RDX are chemically very similar except that HMX is not easily decomposed by alkaline hydroxide. Concentrated sulfuric acid liberates a little more than one third of nitric acid with HMX while with RDX a little more than two thirds is liberated. HMX is used as an explosive charge when desensitized, as a booster charge in admixtures with TNT called octols, and as an oxidizer in solid rocket and gun propellants. 

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