Secondary explosives oxygen balance

Table 1.2 Oxygen balance of some primary, secondary and tertiary explosives.

In addition to formulations of secondary explosives (see Tab. 1.2), metallized mixtures are sometimes used as well. Metals such as beryllium, magnesium or aluminum which are air resistant, but at the same time easily oxidized in very exothermic reactions are suitable. In practice, aluminum is used almost exclusively. Since most formulations possess a negative oxygen balance, the aluminum does not contribute to raising the heat of detonation in atmospheric explosions a lot, but it... 

Table 4.1 shows a summary of the oxygen balances of important secondary explosives. 

DFOX, which is a new secondary explosive by its own and possesses a positive oxygen balance (Qco = +52 %, QCq2 = +41 %) is unique in so far that, when aluminized, not only do the heat of detonation (Qex) and the detonation temperature... 

Since C4 is an underoxidized explosive, the first candidate energetic materials considered are oxygen balanced or oxygen rich, nitroguanidine (NQ), and nitroglycerin (NG). Interestingly, lower fireball gas temperatures are predicted. This is because excess oxygen is entrained in the fireball which dilutes the secondary combustion. 

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