Alexei Volkov
Plastic explosives are soft and hand-mouldable solid explosives. They are used in military operations, shock-hardening steel, and reactive tank armour. Plastic explosives are also used in demolition and sabotage operations. The first plastic explosive was gelignite, invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875. The most common plastic explosive used by the military is Composition C-4, which is highly stable and insensitive to most physical shocks. C-4 can be moulded into any shape and detonated only by a shockwave. While C-4 is known to be stable in various conditions, it is unclear how it is affected by water.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | An explosive material in flexible or elastic sheet form formulated with one or more high explosives which in their pure form has a vapor pressure of less than 10 Pa at a temperature of 25 °C. |
| Texture | Similar to modelling clay |
| Malleability | Can be moulded into any desired shape |
| Detonation | Can only be detonated by the shock wave from a detonator or blasting cap |
| Insensitive | Yes |
| Water solubility | Not mentioned in the sources |
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What You'll Learn
- C-4 is a common plastic explosive that is not affected by water unless it has a detonator
- Plastic explosives are soft, hand-mouldable explosives, often used in demolition
- Plastic explosives are more expensive than other materials with similar efficacy
- Plastic explosives are used in reactive tank armour, sandwiched between two plates of steel
- The first plastic explosive was gelignite, invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875
C-4 is a common plastic explosive that is not affected by water unless it has a detonator
C-4, or Composition C-4, is a plastic explosive that falls under the Composition C family of chemical explosives. It is a powerful explosive that has been used in terrorist attacks worldwide. C-4 is composed of explosives, a plastic binder, a plasticizer to make it malleable, and usually a marker or odorizing taggant chemical. It has a texture similar to modelling clay and can be moulded into any desired shape. This property makes it suitable for explosive demolition, such as breaching obstacles or demolishing large structures.
C-4 is known for its stability and insensitivity to most physical shocks. It cannot be detonated by a gunshot or by dropping it onto a hard surface. It is also worth noting that C-4 will not explode when set on fire or exposed to microwaves. Its detonation can only be initiated by a shockwave, such as the firing of a detonator inserted into it. The presence of water does not affect C-4 unless it has a detonator attached.
The manufacturing process of C-4 involves mixing RDX powder with water to form a slurry, followed by the addition of a binder material dissolved in a solvent. The solvent and water are then removed through distillation, drying, and filtering processes. This results in a relatively stable solid explosive with a clay-like consistency. Despite its stability, C-4 should be handled with caution as it is a dangerous explosive capable of causing significant damage and harm to people and structures.
C-4 has been used by various military forces, including the United States Armed Forces and the British Armed Forces. It is also known by different names, such as PE-4 (Plastic Explosive No. 4) in the British context. The composition of C-4 can vary depending on its intended usage and manufacturer, with different proportions of RDX, polyisobutylene, and other additives. Military-grade C-4 is commonly packaged as the M112 demolition block, which can be further assembled into the M183 "demolition charge assembly" for larger-scale demolitions.
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Plastic explosives are soft, hand-mouldable explosives, often used in demolition
Plastic explosives are soft and hand-mouldable solid forms of explosive material. They are often used in demolition due to their malleability and high velocity of detonation. They can be easily formed into shapes ideal for cutting through structural members and metal.
The first plastic explosive was gelignite, invented in 1875 by Alfred Nobel. The British also used a plastic explosive during World War II, known as Composition C, which was 88.3% RDX and 11.7% non-oily, non-explosive plasticizer. This was replaced by Composition C2, which had a wider temperature range at which it remained plastic. Composition C3 was then developed, which was more effective but proved too brittle in cold weather.
The most common plastic explosive today is C-4, a member of the Composition C family. C-4 is composed of explosives, plastic binder, plasticizer, and a marker or odorizing taggant chemical. It has a texture similar to modelling clay and is relatively insensitive, only able to be detonated by a shockwave. A similar British explosive is PE-4, which is also based on RDX but with a different plasticizer.
C-4 has a high cutting ability and can easily be moulded into any desired shape to change the direction of the explosion. Military-grade C-4 is often packaged as the M112 demolition block, which is used in the M183 "demolition charge assembly". It is also used in reactive tank armour, sandwiched between two plates of steel. When detonated, C-4 releases nitrogen, water, carbon oxides, and other gases.
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Plastic explosives are more expensive than other materials with similar efficacy
Plastic explosives are soft and hand-mouldable solid explosives. They are also known as putty explosives within the field of explosives engineering. Plastic explosives are especially suited for explosive demolition and can be easily formed into ideal shapes for cutting structural members.
The first plastic explosive was gelignite, invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875. One of the simplest plastic explosives was Nobel's Explosive No. 808, also known as Nobel 808. It was extensively used by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II for sabotage missions.
During and after World War II, a number of new RDX-based explosives were developed, including Composition C, C2, and C3. Composition C was replaced by Composition C2, which used a mixture of 80% RDX and 20% plasticizer. C2 had a wider temperature range at which it remained plastic. Composition C3 was a mixture of 77% RDX and 23% explosive plasticizer. It was effective but proved to be too brittle in cold weather.
The most recent variant, Composition C4 (C-4), is a common variety of the plastic explosive family known as Composition C. C-4 has a texture similar to modelling clay and can be moulded into any desired shape. It is very stable and insensitive to most physical shocks. C-4 cannot be detonated by a gunshot or by dropping it onto a hard surface. It does not explode when set on fire or exposed to microwaves. It is only detonated by a shockwave, such as when a detonator inserted into it is fired.
Despite their effectiveness, plastic explosives are generally not used for ordinary blasting as they tend to be significantly more expensive than other materials with similar efficacy.
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Plastic explosives are used in reactive tank armour, sandwiched between two plates of steel
Plastic explosives are used in reactive tank armour to protect tanks from projectiles with shaped-charge warheads. They are sandwiched between two plates of steel and are mounted on the top of the regular tank armour. When a projectile hits the upper plate, it ignites the explosive, creating a shockwave that scatters the molten metal jet away and forces the upper plate to fly outward. This helps to reduce the damage to the tank by disrupting the energy from the incoming projectile.
The most common type of reactive armour is explosive reactive armour (ERA), which includes variants such as self-limiting explosive reactive armour (SLERA) and non-explosive reactive armour (NERA). ERA tiles are added to portions of the vehicle that are most likely to be hit, such as the front of the hull and the sides of the turret. The use of ERA requires that the vehicle has sufficiently thick armour to protect itself and its crew from the explosion.
Plastic explosives, such as C-4, are soft and hand-mouldable solid explosives. They are stable and insensitive to most physical shocks and can only be detonated by a shockwave from a detonator or blasting cap. C-4 is composed of explosives, a plastic binder, a plasticizer to make it malleable, and usually a marker or odorizing taggant chemical. It has a putty-like texture and can be easily moulded into any desired shape, making it suitable for explosive demolition and cutting metal.
The use of plastic explosives in reactive tank armour provides an additional layer of protection for tanks by disrupting the energy of incoming projectiles. The explosion of the plastic explosive helps to scatter the molten metal jet and reduce the impact on the tank's armour. However, it is important to note that the explosion of the ERA can pose a significant threat to infantrymen near the tank due to the fragmentation of the upper plate.
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The first plastic explosive was gelignite, invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875
Plastic explosives are soft and hand-mouldable solid forms of explosive material. They are also known as putty explosives and are especially suited for explosive demolition. Common plastic explosives include Semtex and C-4.
Alfred Nobel was born into the prominent Nobel family in Stockholm and displayed an early aptitude for science and learning, particularly in chemistry and languages. He became fluent in six languages and filed his first patent at the age of 24. He embarked on many business ventures with his family, most notably owning the company Bofors, which was a major manufacturer of cannons and other armaments.
Nobel's most famous invention was dynamite, an explosive made using nitroglycerin, which was patented in 1867. He became fascinated with nitroglycerin's potential as an explosive and experimented with various combinations of nitroglycerin and black powder. He invented the detonator, or blasting cap, which allowed for controlled explosions set off from a distance using a fuse. However, the instability of nitroglycerin rendered it unsafe for commercial use. To solve this problem, Nobel combined it with diatomaceous earth, successfully stabilizing the nitroglycerin into a portable explosive.
Nobel's invention of gelignite in 1875 built upon his prior work with explosives. Gelignite was more stable and powerful than dynamite and could be easily formed into desired shapes, making it ideal for explosive demolition.
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