How dynamite is made - material, manufacture, history, used, procedure, product, History, Process Design and Facilities Dynamite Background and Raw Materials Dynamite is a commercial explosive used mainly for demolition and mining. Invented in 1866 by Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833-1896), it is more accurately described as the packaging of nitroglycerin, a highly poisonous explosive liquid, or other volatile compounds such as sensitized ammonium nitrate. Dynamites can be packed in measured charges, transported easily, and, with the proper detonator, exploded safely. Because a dynamite explosion creates a "cool flame," which is less likely to ignite methane and coal dust mixtures present in mines, dynamites are frequently used in coal mining operations. History Alfred Nobel, his father Immanuel, and younger brother Emil began experimenting with nitroglycerin near Stockholm in 1862. Discovered by Italian chemist Ascario Sobrero in 1846, nitroglycerin was highly unstable and difficult to handle, and accidental explosions were not uncommon. One such accident killed Emil, among others, at a plant in 1864.

Despite the personal tragedy, Alfred continued his work with this dangerous liquid, working on a boat in the middle of a lake before conducting his experiments in a factory. In 1866 he discovered that mixing nitroglycerin with kieselguhr (diatomaceous earth) stabilized and reduced the volatility of the explosive. Diatomaceous earth is formed by the fossil remains of a single-celled plankton called diatoms, and the result is an absorbent material which "soaks up" the nitroglycerin. Alfred named the product "dynamite"—derived from the Greek "dynamis" meaning "power"-—and received a patent for the process in 1867. Nobel went on to develop several other explosives and propellants, including smokeless powder ballistite. He held over 355 patents and his considerable fortune provided the financial basis for the Nobel Prize, which is awarded "to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." Dynamite is classified as a Secondary High Explosive, which means a detonator of Primary or Initiating High Explosive (mercury fulminate, for example) is utilized to set off the main charge.

Dynamite is considered a commercial explosive, as opposed to TNT (trinitrotoluene) explosives, which are considered military munitions explosives. The first large scale use of dynamite for construction purposes was in the creation of the Hoosac Tunnel, completed in 1876. Process Design and Facilities Dynamite manufacture is highly regulated and the process strictly controlled to prevent accidental detonations. The equipment used is specially designed to reduce the exposure of the mixture to heat, compaction forces, or ignition sources. Bearings in the product mixers, for example, are mounted outside of the apparatus frame to prevent contact with the explosive mixture. Buildings and storage areas (called magazines) are constructed at great distances from other structures and with specialized heating, ventilation, and electrical systems. These buildings are "hardened" with bullet-resistant Dynamite manufacturing can be described as the safe packaging of nitroglycerin, a highly poisonous explosive liquid. roofs and walls and extensive security systems. Other important precautions include thorough inspection systems which insure correct mixing, grading, packaging, and inventory control. Employees are also highly trained to work with the explosives, and special health precautions are required.

Exposure to nitroglycerin commonly produces throbbing headaches, although an immunity to the toxic effects can develop. Interestingly, nitroglycerin is also used in medicine to treat some forms of angina and other ailments. In the body, it acts as a vasodilator and relaxes muscle tissue. The Manufacturing Process The process begins with the compound liquid such as nitroglycerin (explosive oil), a "dope" substance, and an antacid. Ethylene glycol dinitrate, composing approximately 25-30% of the explosive oil, is used to depress the freezing point of the nitroglycerin. This allows the dynamite to be safely used at low temperatures. In fact, nitroglycerin in a semi-frozen state with both liquid and solid present is actually more sensitive and unstable than either frozen or liquid state alone. In that semi-solid state, nitroglycerin is extremely dangerous to handle.

Mixing the oil 1 The explosive oil is carefully added to a mechanical mixer, where it is absorbed by the "dope," which can be either diatomaceous earth (now no longer used), wood pulp, sawdust, flour, starch, and/or other carbonaceous substances and combinations of substances. Neutralizing acidity 2 Approximately 1% antacid such as calcium carbonate or zinc oxide is added to neutralize any acidity present in the dope. The mixture is monitored carefully and when the correct ingredient level is attained, the mixture is ready for packaging into the various forms. This process produces what is termed "straight dynamite," in which the dope does not contribute to the explosive strength of the dynamite. For example, 40% straight dynamite contains 40% nitroglycerin and 60% dope; 35% straight dynamite contains 35% nitroglycerin and 65% dope. In some cases, sodium nitrate is mixed with the dope, which acts as an oxidizer and gives additional strength to the explosive.

Packaging dynamite 3 The appearance of dynamite typically resembles a round cartridge approximately The appearance of dynamite typically resembles a round cartridge approximately 1.25 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. The paraffin enclosure protects the dynomite from moisture and, being a combustible hydrocarbon, contributes to the explosive reaction. 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) in diameter and 8 inches (20 cm) long. This type is produced by pressing the dynamite mixture into a paper tube sealed with paraffin. The paraffin enclosure protects the dynamite from moisture and, being a combustible hydrocarbon, contributes to the explosive reaction. Dynamite can also exist in many other forms, from smaller sizes of cartridges for specialized demolition work to large 10-inch (25 cm) diameter charges that are used for large strip mining operations. Regulations limit the length of these big charges to 30 inches (76 cm) and the weight to 50 pounds (23 kg). Dynamite is also available as a bag powder and in a gelatinized form for underwater use. Dynamites are also made using other substances besides nitroglycerin.

For instance, replacing a larger portion of the explosive oil with ammonium nitrate can increase the explosive strength of the dynamite. This form of dynamite is referred to as ammonia dynamite. Quality Control Accurate dynamite strength measurement and testing by detonation assure safe performance of the explosive. The relative strength of dynamite is graded by comparison to straight dynamite and by the percentage of weight of the explosive oil. For example, ammonia dynamite is compared to straight dynamite and is graded accordingly. Fifty percent ammonia dynamite is equal in explosive strength to 50% straight dynamite. In this instance, the "50%" reflects the strength comparison rather than the explosive content. After manufacture and batch testing of the dynamite, it is dispensed to the job site under strict transportation and storage regulations. Application The following brief example is one of many scenarios for the proper application of dynamite. It must be noted that no one but a certified blasting expert with the correct procedures and equipment should ever attempt to detonate dynamite. In this example, a rock formation must be blasted to make way for a construction project.

The first step in the blasting procedure is to determine the size of the charge by various means, including charts, calculations, and the blaster's experience. Close examination of the affected area and surrounding terrain is made to determine the safe zone. Signs are placed a minimum of 1000 feet (305 m) outside the safe zone to warn the public of the blasting. Radio transmitters are turned off and locked to prevent accidental firing of the electric detonators. The charge is then withdrawn from the magazine and transported to the blast site using closed and secure trucks. The detonators are brought to the job site in a separate vehicle. The charges are unloaded and placed into the blast holes drilled in the rock formation. They slide into the blast hole by air pressure or by tamping with wooden or plastic rods. The blaster takes great care that the leadwires to the detonators are shorted together until all charges have been placed. This provides a short circuit path for the wiring which prevents accidental ignition. Only the blaster is allowed to make the final electrical connections to the main firing switch.

During this time, a 5-foot (1.5 m) gap in the wiring immediately ahead of the main switch is used as a "lightning gap," another safety practice to eliminate the possibility of static electricity setting off the charges. Once all of the preparation for the blast is complete, a warning horn sounds a one-minute series of blasts prior to the detonation signal. At this time, the final connections to the firing switch are made. At one minute to detonation, a series of short horn blasts are sounded. The blaster then unlocks the main switch and detonates the charges. After the explosion, all electrical circuits to the blasting equipment are once again locked into the safe positions, and the area is inspected for misfired charges and general safety. A prolonged horn blast signals the all clear. Byproducts/Waste Explosives manufacture and use contribute some measure of hazardous waste to the environment. Nitroglycerin produces several toxic byproducts such as acids, caustics, and oils contaminated with heavy metals. These must be disposed of properly by neutralization or stabilization and transported to a hazardous waste landfill.

The use of explosives creates large amounts of dust and particulate from the explosion, and, in some cases, releases asbestos, lead, and other hazardous materials into the atmosphere. Also, uncontrolled or improperly calculated explosions may rupture nearby tanks and pipelines, releasing their contents into the environment as well. The Future Since their development in the 1950s, advanced forms of plastic explosives and shaped charges have replaced dynamite. These explosives are now referred to as blasting agents, since their stability is improved and require a more powerful primer to detonate. One of the most common blasting agent is ANFO, or ammonium nitrate and fuel oil. ANFO is readily available, considerably cheaper than dynamite, and can be mixed on site. However, concrete demolition crews requiring relatively small charges still use dynamite as the blasting agent. Where To Learn More The explosive Dynamite The explosive Dynamite 1866 Main Image: When it comes to explosives, Dynamite I think is the most popular explosive. It became very popular in the late 1800's as an alternative to gunpowder. Though many people confuse Dynamite with TNT, these are two different kinds of explosives.

Alfred Nobel the inventor of Dynamite originally called it "Nobel's Blasting Powder". The company that produced the largest amount of Dynamite was De Beers in South Africa. It was the most used explosive in South Africa owing to the large gold deposit mines here. But dynamite also took a lot of lives during these mining explosions and finally the dynamite companies in these parts moved on to manufacturing more safer explosives from ammonium nitrate. Who invented Dynamite? Dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel in 1866 and patented the process in 1867. "Dynamite" is derived from the Greek word, "dynamis" meaning "power". Ascano Sobrero is credited with inventing nitroglycerine in 1846. Nitroglycerin is a colorless and extremely reactive substance. It is highly unstable and explodes. So many experiments were being done to make nitroglycerin stable. It is during this time that Alfred Nobel came up with dynamite which was much more stable option than Nitroglycerin. Nobel made a lot of money from his invention. The world wars especially increased its demand. What is Dynamite?

Dynamite is nothing but an absorbing material like sawdust or diatomaceous earth absorbed in nitroglycerin which makes it more stable. An explosive heats up gases in it very fast and these gases expand and the air surrounding it so rapidly that there is an increase in pressure and it causes an explosion. Nitroglycerine (1,2,3-trinitropropane) is made by treating glycerol with a mixture of sulphuric and nitric acid. Dynamite is made by mixing this nitroglycerin with kieselguhr (diatomaceous earth) which stabilized nitroglycerine and this is what reduced the explosivity of dynamite.This is called Kieselghur dynamite. Once the stablilty was acheived, dynamite had an advantage over nitroglycerine as it could be transported safely and handled without exploding. Kieselghur dynamite has some disadvantages. When dynamite is placed in water, nitroglycerin can be displaced. It freezes easily and thawing it would be hazardous. There are different kinds of Dynamite.

Lithofracteur is another type of dynamite which consists of 50% nitroglycerin and a mixture of sawdust, kieselguhr and barium nitrate. Carbonite contains 25% of nitroglycerin, mixture of wood-meal, alkali nitrates, and sulphur . Another form of dynamite consists of nitroglycerin dissolved in nitrocellulose and a small amount of ketone. Facts on Dynamite Dynamite is a secondary explosive,( which means it is used as a detonator of Initiating High Explosive)and is utilized to set off the main charge. It is a commercial explosive. In contrast, military explosives are made of trinitroglycerine. TNT should not be confused with Dynamite. TNT is trinitroglycerine which is a chemical compound. A stick of dynamite contains roughly 2.1 MJ of energy. Dynamite is a chemical explosive and as any explosive when ignited will burn very rapidly to produce huge amounts of energy and heat. Link Keywords: Explosives Statistics EXPLOSIVE : The destructive effects of explosives are much more spectacular than their peaceful uses.

This is likely to make people forget that explosives are the basis for many of mankind's most constructive efforts. Explosives blast rocks and ores loose in mines and quarries. They also move great masses of earth and break coal into small pieces. There are three basic types of explosive: mechanical, nuclear, and chemical. A mechanical explosive depends on a physical reaction such as overloading a container with compressed air. Such a device has some application in mining, in which the release of gas from chemical explosives may be undesirable, but otherwise is very little used. A nuclear explosive is one in which a sustained nuclear reaction can be made to take place with almost instant rapidity, releasing large amounts of energy (see Bomb; Nuclear Energy). Chemical explosives account for virtually all explosive applications in engineering. An Explosion Is a Chemical Reaction When an explosion occurs, a solid material of relatively small bulk is transformed into a large volume of hot gases in a fraction of a second. The explosive breaks down chemically, and a great quantity of heat is released. In an instant, oxygen reacts with other elements such as carbon and hydrogen. The lightning-like expansion of gases produces a shock wave that slams against surrounding surfaces and blasts objects from its path.

Explosions are usually classified as combustion, or burning, type or detonation type. In the first, burning begins at one end of the charge and travels with blinding speed through the entire charge. Complete combustion of a reasonably large charge takes only a few thousandths of a second. Gunpowder explodes in this way. A detonation explosion occurs when the material receives a sudden shock or jar. A shock wave passes through the material. All particles break down together, and the explosion is complete in a few millionths of a second. Detonating explosives are usually subdivided into two categories, primary and secondary. Primary explosives detonate by ignition from some source such as flame, spark, impact, or other means that will produce heat of sufficient magnitude. Secondary explosives require a detonator and, in some cases, a supplementary booster. A few explosives can be both primary and secondary depending on application. Dynamite explodes by detonation. Smokeless powder set off by a flame burns rapidly but not violently. If, however, a cap, or primer, or a fuse of some detonating substance such as mercury fulminate is set off in contact with the guncotton, the latter will be detonated.

A stick of dynamite can be set on fire with a match without great danger but will explode with shattering force in response to a fulminate cap. Since the first form of explosion is extremely rapid burning, it follows that any flammable substance can become explosive to some degree if it can be made to burn rapidly enough. Since all ordinary fire or combustion is caused by the combination of the burning substance with the gas oxygen (see Oxygen), it follows also that the more oxygen present the faster the blaze will be. For example, coal gas, hydrogen, and the vapors of gasoline, alcohol, ether, and turpentine are themselves nonexplosive, but they become explosive if they are mixed in the right proportions with the oxygen of the air. This principle of explosive mixture of gases and vapors with air is used in all gasoline engines (see Internal-Combustion Engine). Many serious accidents have arisen from so-called dust explosions. When the air is filled with finely powdered charcoal, coal, flour, soap, wood, sugar, starch, or any other combustible substance, a flame or a spark may start a blaze that will travel through the dust cloud so rapidly that it creates a violent and destructive blast.

Explosives that are to be used for practical purposes, however, cannot depend on the air for their supply of oxygen. It must be provided in concentrated form so as to be available even when the explosive is excluded from contact with the air. In black gunpowder, which is a mixture of charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur, the saltpeter (potassium nitrate) provides the necessary oxygen. In most explosives, however, each molecule of the compound contains all the oxygen needed. Liquid oxygen itself can be used as an explosive. A porous cartridge of wood pulp, powdered aluminum, or other combustible material is soaked in liquid oxygen and fired with a detonator before the oxygen evaporates. Instantaneous combustion produces terrific explosive force. A few detonating explosives, such as nitrogen iodide, have no oxygen. They act when the compound splits, and the parts expand because of heat generated by the break. DYNAMITE Dynamite is nitroglycerin mixed with some absorbent substance to reduce danger of explosion from shock. Amatol is a mixture of TNT and ammonium nitrate; ammonal contains powdered aluminum, TNT, charcoal, and ammonium nitrate.

In World War II scientists developed RDX (hexamine and TNT) and pentolite (pentaerythritol tetranitrate and TNT). Each one is more powerful than TNT. GUNPOWDER It may never be known with certainty who invented black powder, the first explosive. The mixture is thought to have originated in China in the 9th century, but its use there was almost exclusively in fireworks and signals. It is possible that the Chinese also used black powder in bombs for military purposes, and there is written record that in the mid-13th century they put it in bamboo tubes to propel stone projectiles. There is some evidence, however, that the Arabs invented black powder. By about 1300, certainly, they had developed the first real gun, a bamboo tube reinforced with iron, which used a charge of black powder to fire an arrow. A strong case can also be made that black powder was discovered by the English medieval scholar Roger Bacon, who wrote explicit instructions for its preparation in 1242 in the strange form of a Latin anagram that is difficult to decipher. But Bacon read Arabic, and it is possible that he got his knowledge from Arabic sources.

Some scholars attribute the invention of firearms to the early 14th-century German monk Berthold Schwarz. In any case firearms are frequently mentioned in 14th-century manuscripts from many countries, and there is a record of the shipment of guns and powder from Ghent to England in 1314. Not until the 17th century was black powder used in Europe for peaceful purposes. There is a doubtful claim that it was used in mining operations in Germany in 1613 and fairly authentic evidence that it was employed in the mines of Schemnitz, Hungary, in 1627. For various reasons such as high cost, lack of suitable boring implements, and fear of roof collapse the use of black powder in mining did not spread rapidly, though it was widely accepted by 1700. The first application in civil engineering was in the Malpas Tunnel of the Canal du Midi in France in 1679. For 300 years the unvarying composition of black powder has been approximately 75 percent saltpeter (potassium nitrate), 15 percent charcoal, and 10 percent sulfur. The saltpeter was originally extracted from compost piles and animal wastes.

Deposits found in India provided a source for many years. During the 1850s tremendous quantities of sodium nitrate were discovered in Chile, and saltpeter was formed by reaction with potassium chloride, of which there was a plentiful supply. Chilean nitrate was not at first considered satisfactory for the manufacture of black powder because it too readily absorbed moisture. Lammot du Pont, an American industrialist, solved this problem and started making sodium nitrate powder in 1858. It became popular in a short time because, though it did not produce as high a quality explosive as potassium nitrate, it was suitable for most mining and construction applications and was much less expensive. To distinguish between them, the potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate versions came to be known as A and B blasting powder respectively. The A powder continued in use for special purposes that required its higher quality, principally for firearms, military devices, and safety fuses. (Back to the top of this page) Manufacture of Black Powder In the modern process, charcoal and sulfur are placed in a hollow drum along with heavy steel balls. As the drum rotates, the steel balls pulverize the contents; this device is called a ball mill.

The saltpeter is crushed separately by heavy steel rollers. Next, a mixture of several hundred pounds of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur is placed in a heavy iron device shaped like a cooking pan. There it is continuously turned by devices called plows, then ground and mixed by two rotating iron wheels, which weigh from 10 to 12 tons each. The process takes several hours; water is added periodically to keep the mixture moist. The product of the mills is next put through wooden rolls to break up the larger lumps and is then formed into cakes under high pressure. Coarse-toothed rolls crack the cakes into manageable pieces, and the corning mill, which contains rolls of several different dimensions, reduces them to the sizes desired. Glazing, the next operation, consists of tumbling the grains for several hours in large wooden cylinders, during which friction rounds the corners and, aided by forced air circulation, brings the powder to a specified moisture content. The term glazing derives from the fact that graphite is added during this process, forming a thin film over the individual powder grains. Glazed powder flows more readily than unglazed powder and is more moisture resistant.

After glazing the powder is graded by sieves into different sizes and is packaged, usually in kegs. Because the burning of black powder is a surface phenomenon, a fine granulation burns faster than a coarse one. Grain sizes are designated as F, 2F, and so on, up to 7F, which is the finest, and from C up (C, 2C, and so on) as the grains become larger. For the A powder the letter indicating the fineness becomes 3FA, and, if the powder is glazed, this is followed by the letter g; for example, 3FAg. Pelleted powder was used almost entirely in underground coal mines, but now regulations generally prohibit both it and the granular type. Except for blasting work and for special military purposes, the old-style gunpowders have been almost entirely replaced by smokeless powders and such high explosives as guncotton, mercury fulminate, nitroglycerin, and dynamite. Smokeless powders, products of guncotton and nitroglycerin, were perfected in 1884 and first put to military use by the French.

(Back to the top of this page) Dynamite and Nitroglycerin Nitroglycerin, the most powerful explosive in common use, was discovered in 1846 by the Italian scientist Ascanio Sobrero. Although used as a headache remedy under the name glonoin, it proved too difficult and dangerous for practical blasting purposes until Alfred Nobel of Sweden began his experiments in 1862. Nobel's brother died in an explosion during the tests, and Nobel was forced to move his laboratory to a barge anchored out in the middle of a lake. Then a ship loaded with nitroglycerin blew up off Colon, Panama, and most of the nations of the world forbade their vessels to carry it. Nobel refused to abandon his labors, however, and in 1866 he was rewarded by the invention of dynamite. This is today the commonest and safest of the high explosives, for the first time enabling man to blast away great masses of rock and other obstacles with comparative safety. Dynamite consists of a mixture of the liquid nitroglycerin with some absorbent substance, or "dope," giving it a solid form.

The absorbent used by Nobel was kieselguhr, or diatomite, a kind of earth formed by countless millions of tiny fossil plants known as diatoms. Later, wood pulp, sawdust, charcoal, plaster of Paris, and many other substances came to be used. Perhaps the most powerful form of dynamite is the blasting gelatin devised by Nobel in 1875. This contains nitrocotton colloidally dissolved in nitroglycerin and is waterproof. In many dynamites the nitroglycerin is diluted with ammonium nitrate. This cools the flame and makes the dynamite safer for use in mines. Most dynamites have the nitroglycerin diluted with another explosive to modify the effect in some way. The use of so-called straight dynamite (nitroglycerin alone) is uncommon. Ordinary dynamite is usually made in sticks from 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) in diameter and about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long. These consist of brown paper wrappers coated with paraffin to keep out moisture.

If a small quantity is set on fire free from pressure or vibration of any kind, it will burn; but, if the least blow strikes it while burning, it will explode with great violence. Dynamite is usually set off with a detonator, or blasting cap. (Back to the top of this page) Getting "Smooth" Explosives in Firearms High explosives are used as bursting charges in shells and bombs, but they cannot be used as propelling charges to drive projectiles from guns because they act too violently. Modern propelling charges are made from slower-burning nitrocellulose formed into grains, flakes, or cylinders. Cordite and ballistite contain some nitroglycerin as well. When a propelling charge is fired, it burns slowly at first and starts the bullet or shell smoothly on its way. The rate of burning increases as the projectile nears the muzzle, and maximum pressure is provided at the instant of discharge. In this way the projectile is given an amount of driving force that would burst the gun if applied earlier. This action can be obtained by coating the grains with a slow-burning compound. The compound retards emission of gas until it is gone.

For bigger guns the United States military services use a powder made into cylindrical grains. Inside each grain are lengthwise perforations. As the grain burns, these perforations become larger and give off more gas. Shells and bombs are exploded at the target by detonators. These are small charges of a sensitive explosive such as mercury fulminate. They explode at a blow from a firearm hammer. A detonator is also used as a primer to fire the propelling charge. (Back to the top of this page) Blasting Caps Also called detonators, blasting caps are devices that initiate the detonation of a charge of a high explosive by subjecting it to a shock wave. Strictly speaking, the term detonator refers to an easily ignited low explosive that produces the shock wave, and the term primer, or priming composition, denotes a substance that produces a sudden burst of flame to ignite the detonator. The primer may be set off by the brief application of heat, as from a burning fuse or an electrically heated wire; by friction; or by mechanical shock, as from the impact of the firing pin of a gun. Depending on the preferred method of initiating the explosion, the blasting cap may contain a primer alone or both a primer and a detonator.

(Back to the top of this page) Peaceful Uses of Explosives Explosives are of immense value in many peaceful pursuits in mining, quarrying, and engineering enterprises and in making fireworks, signal lights, and rockets. They are used to project lifelines to ships in distress off storm-beaten shores or to the roofs of burning buildings; to cast oil upon rough seas; and to break up ice jams. When pile drivers are not available, their work can be done by exploding dynamite on an iron plate placed on top of the piles. Farmers find explosives useful for breaking up boulders, blowing out stumps, felling trees, and loosening soil. Blind rivets are needed when space limitations make conventional rivets impractical. One type is explosive; it has a hollow space in the shank containing a small charge of heat-sensitive chemicals. When a suitable amount of heat is applied to the head, an explosion takes place and expands the rivet shank tightly into the hole. The shank is normally open but can be sealed to eliminate noise and the ejection of metal fragments. Most explosive rivets are aluminum, but they can be obtained in stainless steel and certain other metals. Their use is mainly in aircraft.

Explosives are sometimes used to bond various metals to each other. For example, when silver was removed from United States coinage, much of the so-called sandwich metal that replaced it was obtained by the explosive bonding of large slabs, which were then rolled down to the required thickness. These slabs are placed parallel to each other and approximately 0.25 inch (6.4 millimeters) apart. An explosive developed especially for the purpose is placed on the top slab, and its detonation slams the slabs together with such force that they become welded. Stainless steel is often joined to ordinary steel in this manner. One especially valuable feature of explosion cladding is that it can frequently be applied to metallurgically incompatible metals such as aluminum and steel or titanium and steel. Finally, the very fine industrial-type diamonds used for grinding and polishing are produced by the carefully controlled action of explosives on carbon. MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS There are over 50 people killed each year by explosives (not including major events like Oklahoma City) and approximately 500 people injured each year by explosives. According to the FBIs Bomb Data Center, California leads the nation in "Explosive Incidents".

Most of these "Incidents" occur in residential areas. The most common explosives used are black powder, smokeless powder and fireworks powders. The most common explosive device encountered in the USA is the pipe bomb. Explosives - examples, body, used, process, type, chemical, form, energy, reaction Explosives Explosives Photo by: icholakov Explosives are materials that produce violent chemical or nuclear reactions. These reactions generate large amounts of heat and gas in a fraction of a second. Shock waves produced by rapidly expanded gases are responsible for much of the destruction seen following an explosion. Probably the oldest known explosive is black gunpowder, a mixture of charcoal (carbon), sulfur, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate). When these three chemicals are ignited, a chemical reaction takes place very quickly. The products of that reaction are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitric oxide (all gases) as well as potassium carbonate and potassium sulfide (two solids). The four gases formed in the reaction are heated to very high temperatures and expand very rapidly. They form shock waves that have the ability to knock down trees, buildings, people, and other objects in their way.

The shock wave also carries with it very hot gases that can burn objects and initiate fires. The combination of shock wave and high temperature is characteristic of most kinds of explosives. History Gunpowder was first invented in China no later than about A.D. 850. For hundreds of years, it was used mainly to create fireworks. The Chinese did not use gunpowder as a weapon of war; it was the Europeans who first adapted explosives for use in weapons. By the fourteenth century, Europeans were widely using the explosive as a military device to project stones, spearlike projectiles, and metal balls from cannons and guns. Words to Know Chemical explosive: A compound or mixture that releases chemical energy violently and rapidly, creating heat and a shock wave generated by a release of gases. Dynamite: An explosive made by soaking an inert (inactive or stable), absorbent substance with a mixture of (1) nitroglycerin or ammonium nitrate, (2) a combustible substance (a substance with the ability to burn), such as wood pulp, and (3) an antacid. Gunpowder: An explosive mixture of charcoal, potassium nitrate, and sulfur often used to propel bullets from guns and shells from cannons.

Nitroglycerine: An explosive liquid used to make dynamite. Also used as a medicine to dilate blood vessels. Nuclear explosive: A device that obtains its explosive force from the release of nuclear energy. TNT: Trinitrotoluene, a high explosive. For the next 500 years, gunpowder was used almost exclusively for pyrotechnic (fireworks) displays and in warfare. Then, in 1856, Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero (1812–1888) invented the first modern explosive, nitroglycerin. Sobrero's discovery was, unfortunately for many early users, too unstable to be used safely. Nitroglycerin readily explodes if bumped or shocked. In 1859, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel (1833–1896) began to look for a way to package nitroglycerin safely. His solution was to mix nitroglycerin with an inert (inactive) absorbent material called kieselguhr. He called his invention dynamite. Virtually overnight, Nobel's invention revolutionized the mining industry.

Dynamite was five times as powerful as gunpowder, relatively easy to produce, and reasonably safe to use. For the first time in history, explosives began to be used for a productive purpose: the tearing apart of land in order to gain access to valuable minerals. Nobel became extremely wealthy as a result of his discovery. But he is said to have been worried about the terrible potential for destruction that his invention had made possible. When he died, he directed that his fortune be used to create the Nobel Foundation, the purpose of which was to bring about lasting peace and advance technology. The Nobel Prizes in various fields of science are now the highest honors that scientists can earn. Types of explosives Explosives can be classified into one of four large categories: primary, low, high, and nuclear explosives. Primary explosives. Primary explosives are generally used to set off other explosives. They are very sensitive to shock, heat, and electricity and, therefore, must be handled with great care. Two common examples are mercury fulminate and lead azide. Primary explosives also are known as initiating explosives, blasting caps, detonators, or primers. Low explosives. Low explosives are characterized by the fact that they burn only at their surface.

For example, when a cylinder of black gunpowder is ignited, it begins burning at one end of the cylinder and then continues to the other end. This process takes place very rapidly, however, and is complete in just a few thousandths of a second. This property of slowed combustion is preferred in guns and artillery because too rapid an explosion could cause the weapon itself to blow up. A slower explosive has the effects of building up pressure to force a bullet or shell smoothly out of the weapon. Fireworks also are low explosives. High explosives. High explosives are much more powerful than primary explosives. When they are detonated, all parts of the explosive blow up within a few millionths of a second. Some also are less likely than primary explosives to explode by accident. Examples of high explosives include ANFO (ammonium nitrate-fuel oil mixture), dynamite, nitroglycerin, PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate), picric acid, and TNT (trinitrotoluene). They provide the explosive force delivered by hand grenades, bombs, and artillery shells. High explosives that are set off by heat are called primary explosives. High explosives that can be set off only by a detonator are called secondary explosives.

When mixed with oil or wax, high explosives become like clay. These plastic explosives can be molded into various shapes to hide them or to direct explosions. In the 1970s and 1980s, plastic explosives became a favorite weapon of terrorists (people who use violence in order to force a government into granting their demands). Plastic explosives can even be pressed flat to fit into an ordinary mailing envelope for use as a "letter bomb." Nuclear explosives. Research during World War II (1939–45) produced an entirely new kind of explosive: nuclear explosives. Nuclear explosives produce their explosive power not by chemical reactions, as with traditional explosives, but through nuclear reactions. In some types of nuclear reactions, large atomic nuclei are split (or fissioned) into two pieces A nuclear explosion at sea. (Reproduced by permission of The Stock Market .) with the release of huge amounts of energy. In a second type of nuclear reaction, small atomic nuclei are combined (or fused) to make a single large nucleus, again with the release of large amounts of energy. These two kinds of nuclear explosives were first used as weapons at the end of World War II.

The world's first atomic bomb, dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945, for example, was a fission weapon. The world's first hydrogen bomb, tested at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean in 1952, was a fusion weapon. Since the end of World War II, a half-dozen nations in the world have continued to develop and build both fission and fusion weapons. Efforts also have been made to find peaceful uses for nuclear explosives, as in mining operations, although these efforts have not been fully successful. Also read article about Explosives from Wikipedia User Contributions: Dynamite - CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science Dynamite Jump to: navigation , search Dynamite is a highly explosive substance used in demolition, construction, and mining. It is not used as often now, since more effective substances have been discovered and invented. Dynamite is a mixture of nitroglycerin, an absorbent substance, and sodium carbonate. Manufacturers form this mixture into large stick formations to be sold and distributed. The process of creating dynamite is both dangerous and difficult. Dynamite factories are often highly protected. Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, came upon it almost by accident.

Already a successful man, he sought a more controllable explosive substance. He also wanted to find a more efficient way to demolish large structures. Contents 6 References Properties A highly explosive substance is explosive because of its reaction to heat or shock . This substance quickly decomposes causing a large chemical reaction resulting in what people recognize as an explosion. There are two types of explosives: primary and secondary. Primary explosives react to heat, friction , or shock. These are very sensitive and dangerous. Secondary explosives are much less sensitive. Dynamite is one highly known primary explosive. Its three components are nitroglycerin , something to absorb the nitroglycerin like sawdust, and a minimal amount of sodium carbonate . The more absorbent used, the less primary and more secondary the dynamite becomes. The nitroglycerin inside the substance is a very explosive liquid-type substance. When dynamite is detonated, the nitroglycerin burns and causes the rest of the substance to explode. [1] Manufacturing Factories Dynamite manufacturing is strictly regulated and exclusive. By fear of accidental detonation by random heat or spark, manufacturing companies are located far from electrical power sources or other buildings that may be producing sources of heat or ignition.

Manufacturing buildings are also covered in some sort of bullet proof material to protect the contents. Simply put, the making of dynamite is the process of safely packaging the highly dangerous substance known as nitroglycerin. Every step to the manufacturing is checked and thoroughly examined to ensure no mistakes are made by workers or machines. The workers and manufacturers are all highly qualified with the most extensive training possible. Extreme health precautions are also required, because of the toxic chemicals workers may encounter frequently. The makings of dynamite also includes ethylene glycol dinitrate . This substance prevents the nitroglycerin from freezing and becoming more dangerous when used in cold areas. [2] Preparation The oily state of nitroglycerin is mixed first with a flour-like substance. This substance (which may be sawdust, wood pulp, or starch) absorbs the oil and becomes a more malleable paste. These are all well-mixed not by hand but by a mechanical mixer. An antacid is then added to this mixture in order to slightly neutralize the acidity within. During this time the manufacturer may decide how strong the dynamite may be. The term "straight dynamite" refers to the ratio of nitroglycerin to the starch it was mixed with.

For example, 30% straight dynamite consists of 30% nitroglycerin and 70% starch. This dynamite may not be as strong as 40% straight dynamite. The third step in manufacturing is packaging. With the mixture already formed, the paste-like dynamite may be pressed into a paper tube of the desirable size and then sealed with paraffin . Presently, dynamite is available in both the tube formation and small cartridge forms as well. Regulations on size, however, are set to prevent extremely dangerous situations for miners or builders. Some dynamite manufacturers may also sell their product in a powder form. [2] Uses In present day, dynamite is not used nearly as much as it was when explosives were first popular. Many other types of chemical explosives are now being used. However, dynamite and TNT are still often used. Dynamite is more often used for imploding buildings than mining currently. Many other chemical explosives have been found less dangerous and more precise. [3] Mining Workers setting dynamite to mine in one of the very rich mines of Portacia. Many mining museums have large portions of history centered around dynamite.

The use of explosives was a large break through for miners and their work. Many explosives are still used in the same way that dynamite was previously. Dynamite was used to break up large rocks to make a miner's work easier. The dynamite, stuffed into small holes bored into large rocks, would implode the rocks into smaller and more easily moved pieces. Also, mining caves are easier made with the use of dynamite and explosives. Miners will bore holes into the sides of large hills or structures to create entrances so they may easier reach whatever they may be mining for. Explosives and dynamite are most often used in underground mining. [3] Demolition and Construction Dynamite is still used today for the demolition and implosion of buildings. Construction and demolition workers bore holes into the concrete columns of buildings in order to stuff these explosive materials inside. They will cover the building with these explosives before igniting to implode the entire structure. When ignited, the dynamite catches fire so quickly producing so much hot gas at the same time that the pressure of the gas begins to destroy the concrete around it.

[4] In the past, during the 19th century, dynamite was more often used to destroy large obstacles in preparation for buildings and train tracks. Dynamite was also used to destroy large rocks and also form tunnels for trains to pass through. This was a very important resource during the industrial revolution. Dynamite was the safest of all explosive substances during the 19th century, and while many construction and train business were flourishing, many relied on dynamite to grow their companies across America. [5] History Two men drilling a small hole in which to place a stick of dynamite, probably in the 1920's. Alfred Nobel, the founder and inventor of the Nobel prize , also invented dynamite. Nobel was one who was highly involved in the construction of both bridges and buildings. Being an innovative engineer, he searched for a more efficient way of demolishing and deconstructing large rock-built structures. In 1860, the industrialist began experimenting heavily with nitroglycerin, which was previously discovered by an Italian chemist. Knowing nitroglycerin was highly dangerous, before even finding another form of it, Nobel invented some sort of detonating cap for the substance.

In 1863 he patented his own design. Instead of heat or fire, this first detonator was ignited by shock. Alfred continued to experiment with the liquid state of nitroglycerin, soon finding in 1866 that when mixed with silica it transformed into a quite malleable solid. This paste was then molded into the dynamite stick shape that is still used today. He continued to innovate his product even more thoroughly when he invented a new detonating device prepared especially for mining. This new detonator consisted of a fuse, patented in 1867. [6] In the 19th century, the height of the industrial revolution, dynamite was found to be a key invention. While many cities, towns, and railroads were being built, many obstacles needed to be destroyed in order for real growth to begin. Before this invention had taken place, people relied on black powder and pure nitroglycerin to create tunnels and blast trough large rocks. Black powder was not powerful enough, and nitroglycerin was known to be very dangerous and unpredictable. The invention of dynamite then led to even more innovation and efficiency in both demolition and industrial growth all over the world.

Into the 20th century, the availability and easy access to dynamite and such explosives began to increase. Such availability led to the use of dynamite and TNT as murder and assassination weapons. Because of these occurrences, Alfred Nobel began to see the danger he may have released into the world. His feelings of guilt are exactly what led him to create the Nobel Prize. [7] Video Dynamite | Define Dynamite at Dictionary.com dynamite noun 1. a high explosive, originally consisting of nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent substance, now with ammonium nitrate usually replacing the nitroglycerin. 2. any person or thing having a spectacular effect. verb (used with object), dynamited, dynamiting. 3. to blow up, shatter, or destroy with dynamite: Saboteurs dynamited the dam. to mine or charge with dynamite. adjective Informal. creating a spectacular or optimum effect; great; topnotch: a dynamite idea; a dynamite crew. Origin of dynamite 1867; < Swedish dynamit, introduced by A. B.

Nobel, its inventor; see dyna(m)- , -ite 1 Related forms [dahy-nuh-mit-ik] /ˌdaɪ nəˈmɪt ɪk/ (Show IPA), adjective dynamitically, adverb Examples from the Web for dynamite Expand Italian School Bombing Sparks Fear of Return to Bloodshed Barbie Latza Nadeau May 18, 2012 He would turn up at private views with distress flares and sticks of dynamite and stuff. The Rover Boys on Treasure Isle Edward Stratemeyer (AKA Arthur M. Winfield) All the arms and ammunition and dynamite that could be obtained by them were hidden away. The White Mice Richard Harding Davis He leaned back upon the cases of dynamite and passed a clammy hand over his brow. British Dictionary definitions for dynamite Expand an explosive consisting of nitroglycerine or ammonium nitrate mixed with kieselguhr, sawdust, or wood pulp 2.

(informal) a spectacular or potentially dangerous person or thing verb (transitive) to mine or blow up with dynamite Derived Forms C19 (coined by Alfred Nobel): from dynamo- + -ite1 Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for dynamite Expand n. 1867, from Swedish dynamit, coined 1867 by its inventor, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), from Greek dynamis "power" (see dynamic (adj.)) + -ite (2). Figurative sense of "something potentially dangerous" is from 1922. Positive sense of "dynamic and excellent" by mid-1960s, perhaps originally Black English. v. 1881, from dynamite (n.).

Related: Dynamited; dynamiting. Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper High Uses ï¿½ Manufacture of detonators Properties: Lead styphnate is a poor initiator, but it is easily ignited by fire or by a static charge. Used as priming layer which causes lead azide to explode from a flash. Reddish ï¿½ Brown crystals. VOD: 17,000 ft/sec c. Mercury Fulminate Mercury Fulminate appears to have been prepared for the first time by Hohann Kunckel von Lowenstern. (1630 - 1703) The preparation and properties of mercury fulminate were described in much detail by Edward Howard in 1800 in a paper presented to the Royal Society of London. Preparation of Mercury Fulminate is carried out by a process essentially the same as described by Howard. Uses ï¿½ Manufacture of detonators Properties: Odor is not offensively pungent. Color, clear, as light as possible, darker colors have impurities. Slightly oily to the touch Unstable and dangerous to handle. Very sensitive to shock and when the temperature is increased it is more sensitive.

Flammable, and when heated as a result of fire it will detonate. Vapors cause a sever and persistent headache. Used as a Vaso dilator. VOD: 25,000 ft/sec b. Dynamite Nobel, having discovered a way to reliably initiate nitroglycerin, knew that the extreme sensitivity and difficulty in handling the liquid were very serious problems. Dynamite and the fulminate blasting cap both resulted from Alfred Nobelï¿½s effort to make nitroglycerin more safe and more convenient to use. Having discovered that nitroglycerin is exploded by the explosion of a small firecracker-like device filled with black powder, he tried the effect of mixing the two materials and in 1863 was granted a patent which covered the use of a liquid explosive, such as nitroglycerin or methyl or ethyl nitrate, in mixture with gunpowder in order to increase the effectiveness of the latter. The amount of the liquid was limited by the requirement that the mixtures should be dry and granular in character. The explosives were supposed to be actuated by fire, like black powder, but the liquid tended to slow down the rate of burning and they were not notably successful.

The same patent also covered the possibility of substituting a part of the saltpeter with nitroglycerin. Because this substance is insoluble in water and non-hygroscopic, it acts as a protective covering for the salt and makes the use of sodium nitrate possible in the mixtures. Nobelï¿½s, next patent, granted in 1864, related to improvements in the manufacture of nitroglycerin and to the exploding of it by heating or by means of a detonating charge. He continued his experiments and in 1867 was granted a patent for an explosive prepared by mixing nitroglycerin with a suitable nonexplosive porous absorbent such as charcoal or siliceous earth. The resulting material was much less sensitive to shock than nitroglycerin and known as dynamite, and was manufactured and sold under the name "Nobelï¿½s Safety Powder". The absorbent which was finally chosen as being most satisfactory was diatomaceous earth or kieselguhr.

Nobel believed that dynamite could be exploded by a spark or by fire if it was contained closely, but preferred to explode it under all conditions by means of a special exploder or cap containing a strong charge of mercury fulminate, crimped tightly to the end of the fuse in order that it might detonate with more strength. He stated that the form of the cap might be varied greatly, but that its action depended upon the sudden development of an intense pressure or shock. Prior to the issue of the patent for dynamite, production had begun in the San Francisco area. Within the next few years numerous plants were built, primarily concentrated in the San Francisco region in the west and New Jersey in the east. The original manufacturers were most entrepreneurial businessmen, with no prior connection to the explosives (black powder) industry. Soon, however, the dynamite industry came under the domination of the DuPont Company, but this monopoly of explosives manufacturing ended with U. S. Government ordering its breakup under the federal antitrust laws. The result was the establishment of the Atlas Powder Company and the Hercules Powder Company as competitors to DuPont. The dynamite industry flourished until the late 1950ï¿½s when the US had 34 operating plants.

At about that time, modern blasting agents came into wide usage and began to replace packaged high explosives. As of 1996, only one dynamite plant remained in operation on the North American continent. Deteriorated Dynamites or Exhuded or Crystalline The nitroglycerin used in dynamites is also thickened or gelatinized by the addition of a small percentage of nitrocellulose. This helps prevent the liquid from "weeping" or separating from the absorbent. Because settling does occur, boxes of stored nongelled dynamites are turned over at regular intervals to reverse the settling flow. However, old and deteriorated dynamite may have exhuded allowing the liquid explosive to seep through the wax impregnated kraft paper. Uses - Construction, Road Building, Quarrying, Mining, Destruction Ingredients: Nitroglycerine (NG), Ethylene Glycol Dinitrate (EGDN), Ammonium Nitrate (AN), Nitrocellulose (NC), Sodium Nitrate (SN), Carbonaceous Fuel (wood pulp & ground shells), Sulfur.

Types: (a.) Straight Dynamite: NG & EGDN (b.) Ammonia Dynamite: NG, EGDN & AN (c.) Gelatin Dynamite: NG, EG DN & NC (d.) Ammonia Gelatin Dynamite: NG, EGDN, AN, & NC (e.) Permissible Ammonia and Gelatin Dynamites: Added Salt Properties: Excellent water resistance, NG & EGDN pulled out by gravity, NG headache, expensive, easy to initiate, detonator sensitive, shock sensitive. VOD: 8,000 to 22,000 ft/sec. Packaging: Spiral Wound Manila Paper Shells c. Ammonium Nitrate J. R. Glauber first synthesized ammonium nitrate in 1659 by combining nitric acid and ammonium carbonate. Ammonium nitrate, which Glauber named "Nitrum Flammans", occurs in nature only rarely and then in very small amounts. Today this chemical compound has two widely recognized and diverese uses: An important fertilizer for the agricultural industry The basic ingredient of most commercial explosives, where it serves as an oxidizer. In 1867, two Swedish chemists, C.

J. Ohlsson and J. H Norrbin, patented an explosive, called ammoniakrut, which consisted of ammonium nitrate either alone or in mixture with charcoal, sawdust, naphthalene, picric acid, nitroglycerin, or nitrobenzene. Theoretical calculations had shown that large quantities of heat and gas were given off by the explosions of these mixtures. The proportions of the materials were selected in such a manner that all of the carbon should be converted to carbon dioxide and all the hydrogen to water. Some of these explosives were difficult to ignite and to initiate, but the trouble was remedied by including some nitroglycerin in their compositions and by firing them with fulminate detonators. They were used to some extent in Sweden. Nobel purchased the invention from his fellow-countrymen early in the 1870ï¿½s, and soon afterwards took out another patent in connection with it, but still found that the hygroscopicity of the ammonium nitrate created several problems. He was not able to deal satisfactorily with the problems until after the invention of gelatin dynamite.

1935, experimentation began on blasting with a mixture of prilled fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate (FGAN) and carbon black or cold dust at a surface coal mine in Indiana. The mixture was packaged in large tubes and was primed with 20 pound charges of dynamite. It is popularly believed that this product was developed because of publicity about the 1947 Texas City disaster in which two ships laden with ammonium nitrate fertilizer blew up. In actuality, that explosion occurred with grained AN, not prilled, and in 1947 the time was not correct for a new blasting material. The success of the Indiana experiments was that prills had become commonly available (all fertilizer production in the US having converted to prilling by 1948), and that dry drilling of large diameter blastholes in the surface mines was becoming the norm. The person responsible for the product was Bob Akre of the Maumee Collieries, and the product was called Akremite. Within a very short period of time after the May 1955 experiment other mines began using prills mixed with common #2 diesel fuel, and the name ANFO was soon applied.

Prills: Prills denote the ammonium nitrate pellets obtained by cooling free falling droplets of the molten salt in so called prill towers. By special processing, they can be porous and capable of absorbing a certain percentage of liquid hydrocarbons. Under the same name, "Prills" also the ready made ANFO ï¿½ explosive marketed. Uses: Ammonium nitrate is the most important raw material in the manufacture of industrial explosives. It serves also as constituent in rocket propellants, in the capacity of a totally gasifiable oxygen carrier. Properties Hygroscopic and very soluble in water. Product shows great tendency to cake. Marketed as dense prills and as porous prills. Colorless crystals d. ANFO (Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil) Ammonium nitrate explosives are mixtures of ammonium nitrate with carbon carries such as wood meal, oils or coal and sensitizers such as nitroglycol or TNT and dintroluene. They also may contain aluminum powder to improve the strength. Such mixtures can be cap-sensitive. The non-cap-sensitiveï¿½s are classified as blasting agents.

Mixtures of porous ammonium nitrate prills with liquid hydrocarbons, loaded un-cartridged by free pouring or by means of air loaders, are extensively used under the name NAFO Blasting Agents. Uses - Construction, Road Building, Quarrying Ingredients: Prilled Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil Properties: A blasting agent which requires a booster for initiation. Very hygroscopic. Available in bulk or in bags. Requires simplistic facilities for production and easily improvised for illegal/terrorist application. VOD: 12,000 - 15,000 ft/sec. Packaging: Usually in 50 pound paper/plastic bags. e. PETN (Pentaerythrite Tetranitrate) 1901, PETN is the most stable and least reactive of the explosive nitric esters. It is also one of the most powerful and brisant explosive, with good stability. Uses: It is used in high-efficiency detonators, detonating cords, and to produce boosters. PETN can also be incorporated into gelatinous, industrial explosives. Properties White to light gray in color. May be exploded if subjected to severe shock.

A shock from a carpenters hammer on a floor or other solid object may cause initiation. Insoluble in water, sparingly soluble in alcohol, ether, and benzene, and soluble in acetone and methyl acetate. VOD 27,200 ft/sec. f. RDX (Clclotrimethylenetrinitramine, Cyclonite) The name cyclonite was given to this explosive by Clarence J. Bain because of its cyclic structure and its cyclonic nature. The Germans call it Hexogen, the Italians T4. Today, Cyclonite is probably the most important high brisance explosive. Its brisant power is high, owning to its high density and high detonation velocity. It is relatively insensitive as compared to PETN which has similar strength. RDX is also used as a medicine, under the name of methenamine, used for the control of urinary tract infections, also used in the manufacturer of plastics, and as an accelerator for the vulcanization of rubber. Uses: Manufacture of boosters, detonating cord, detonators, and placed in a plastic binder. Properties White crystalline solid or red depending on use.

If used in detonating cord it will be red to pink. High brisance Pentolite is a mixture of 50% PETN and 50% TNT. Uses: VOD 24,600 ft/sec h. Binary Explosives Binary or two component explosives are blasting explosives that are formed by mixing or combining two commercially manufactured, prepackaged chemical ingredients, consisting of oxidizers, flammable liquids or solids, or similar ingredients which individually are not classified as explosives but which are when mixed or combined, form a detonable mixture. The unmixed ingredients of this type of explosive are generally not subject to the transportation requirements applicable to explosives, thus they may be transported in less than required quantities without a placard. Generally, this type of explosive is used for intermittent or limited usage due to mixing and time requirements. Kine-Pak and Kine-Stick are a mixture of ammonium nitrate and nitro methane. Uses: Booster, Rock Buster, Demolition Ingredients: Crushed Ammonium Nitrate and Nitromethane (dyed red) VOD: 14,000 ft/sec. XPLO Corporation Atlas Powder Company i.

Boosters The development of non-cap sensitive and insensitive explosives for civilian and military use created the need for compact high detonation pressure boosters. NG based versions of boosters were available, but were in less-than-convenient packages and did not fit the overall trend toward bore holes containing non-nitroglycerin based explosives. During the 50ï¿½s and 60ï¿½s there was an availability of low cost military high explosives that had been released to the commercial market. The availability of these products and the need for non-NG based boosters prompted the development of the cast booster. There are several forms of boosters available and they have varying properties and sensitivities. Cast Boosters are cap-sensitive explosives that typically contain the high explosive trintotoluene (TNT) as the casting material. Different molecular explosives are mixed into the melted TNT and impart additional energy and/or sensitivity to the booster. Molecular explosives are energetic materials that contain all of the elements for a detonation reaction in the molecules of the explosives. Pentolite Boosters j. Detonating Cord Detonating cords, all detonate, with the primary use is as a link. In nonelectric blasting, detonating cord was developed after safety fuse.

A variety of detonating cord had a military application in Europe in the 1870ï¿½s. A civilian application introduced in 1902 when Cordeau, in Europe, introduced a tin tube filled with picric acid as an initiation system for mining. A different type of Cordeau, with a lead tube and TNT, was introduced in the US in 1913. Todayï¿½s detonating cord, PETN in a fabric braid was introduced in 1938. In electric blasting, the first cords were virtually instantaneous (detonation rate of the cord and the length provided the delay); delay connectors were introduced in the 1950ï¿½s. Additional delays were developed subsequently. a. Uses - To link multiple shots, initiate boosters and shock tube, and demolition.

Question: Which substance forms the explosive component of dynamite?
Answer: Nitroglycerin