Sofia Martinez
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. The name plastic explosive comes from the fact that they are plastic in form, being malleable or flexible at normal room temperature. Plastic explosives are formulated with a binder material, and can be blended with different oils. They are resistant to accidental detonation and can be easily moulded into any desired shape to change the direction of the resulting explosion. Common plastic explosives include Semtex and C-4.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First plastic explosive | Gelignite, invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875 |
| Plastic explosives | Soft and hand-mouldable solid form of explosive material |
| Other names | Putty explosives |
| Commercial use | Shock hardening high manganese percentage steel |
| Use in tanks | Sandwiched between two plates of steel |
| Plastic explosives | Formulated with one or more high explosives |
| Plastic explosives | Malleable or flexible at room temperature |
| Plastic explosives | Made of a soft substance like clay that can be formed into different shapes |
| Common plastic explosives | Semtex and C-4 |
| Composition C-4 | Most common plastic explosive employed by the military in Vietnam |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic explosives are soft and hand-mouldable
The softness and malleability of plastic explosives is due to their composition. They are made with one or more high explosives and a binder material, which makes them flexible or elastic at room temperature. They are formulated to have a low vapour pressure at 25°C, which contributes to their plasticity.
The first plastic explosive was gelignite, invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875. It had the appearance of green plasticine and was extensively used during World War II for sabotage missions. During and after the war, new RDX-based explosives were developed, including Composition C, which was replaced by Composition C2, a mixture of RDX and a plasticizer that remained plastic at a wider temperature range.
Today, common plastic explosives include Semtex and C-4, which has three classes with varying amounts of RDX and polyisobutylene. These explosives are still used for demolition and military purposes, as well as in reactive tank armour, where they are sandwiched between two plates of steel to protect against incoming rounds.
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They are made of clay-like substances
Plastic explosives are soft, hand-mouldable solid forms of explosive material. They are also known as putty explosives because they are made of clay-like substances that can be formed into different shapes.
The clay-like consistency of plastic explosives makes them especially suited for explosive demolition. They can be easily moulded into shapes that are ideal for cutting through structural members and have a high enough velocity of detonation and density for metal-cutting work. For instance, they are used for shock-hardening high-manganese percentage steel, a material used for train rail components and earth-digging implements.
One of the earliest plastic explosives was Nobel's Explosive No. 808, also known as Nobel 808 or British Armed Forces' Explosive 808 during World War II. It had the appearance of green plasticine with a distinctive almond smell. During World War II, it was extensively used by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) for sabotage missions.
Another common plastic explosive is Composition C, which was used by the military in Vietnam. It was composed of 88.3% RDX and 11.7% non-oily, non-explosive plasticizer. However, it was replaced by Composition C2, which had a wider plastic temperature range of -30 to 52 °C. Composition C2 was then replaced by Composition C3, which was a mixture of 77% RDX and 23% explosive plasticizer. C3 was effective but proved to be too brittle in cold weather.
Today, the most common plastic explosives include Semtex and C-4, which has three classes with varying amounts of RDX and polyisobutylene.
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Plastic explosives are used for demolition
The term "plastic explosive" refers to a type of explosive material that is soft and can be moulded by hand. It is often made from PETN and RDX and is challenging to detect by gas analytical methods due to its low vapour pressure. Plastic explosives are particularly effective in demolition applications, offering high detonation velocities and densities suitable for metal cutting. They can be easily shaped to target structural members, making them ideal for destroying obstacles and fortifications.
Plastic explosives have a long history of military use, dating back to World War II, when they were extensively employed for sabotage and anti-tank warfare. During this period, the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) frequently utilised Nobel's Explosive No. 808, also known as Nobel 808 or simply Explosive 808. This plastic explosive resembled green plasticine and played a crucial role in the development of the Gammon grenade. It was also used in the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler in 1944.
Following World War II, advancements in plastic explosives led to the creation of RDX-based explosives such as Compositions C, C2, and C3. Composition C, composed of 88.3% RDX and 11.7% non-oily, non-explosive plasticizer, had a plastic state between 0°C and 40°C but was brittle at colder temperatures. Composition C2 improved upon this by maintaining plasticity in a wider temperature range, from −30°C to 52°C. However, it was Composition C3 that introduced the use of an explosive plasticizer, combining 77% RDX with 23% explosive plasticizer.
Despite its effectiveness, Composition C3 was eventually replaced by C4 due to its brittleness in cold weather. C4, or Composition C-4, is a highly versatile plastic explosive that can be moulded into any desired shape, allowing for precise control over the direction of the explosion. It has a high cutting capacity and is commonly used in military applications, such as the M112 demolition block, for breaching obstacles and demolishing large structures. C4 is composed of explosives, plastic binder, plasticizer, and sometimes a marker or odorizing taggant chemical. Military and commercial variants of C4 differ in their oil blends, with civilian C4 using low-viscosity motor oil instead of the mineral oil found in military-grade C4.
In addition to C4, Semtex is another widely recognised plastic explosive. Manufactured by the Czech company Explosia, Semtex contains a mixture of PETN, RDX, a styrene-butadience polymer, and a plasticizer. Unfortunately, Semtex has gained infamy due to its use in terrorist attacks.
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They were first used in World War II
The term "plastic explosive" refers to an explosive material that is soft and hand-mouldable, allowing it to be formed into different shapes. The first plastic explosive was gelignite, invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875. However, the term "plastic" in relation to explosives came from the obsolete term "plastique", which dates back to the Nobel 808 explosive (also known as Explosive 808) introduced to the US by the British in 1940. These explosives were packaged by the SOE (Special Operations Executive) and were intended to be dropped via parachute to the French Resistance. As a result, they were labelled in French as "Explosif Plastique", a term that is still used in France and by some Americans today.
Nobel's Explosive No. 808, developed by the British company Nobel Chemicals Ltd, was extensively used by the SOE during World War II for sabotage missions. With the appearance of green plasticine and a distinctive smell of almonds, it was well-suited for its intended purpose. This explosive played a role in the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler on 20 July 1944. During and after World War II, new RDX-based explosives were developed, including Composition C, which was used as a demolition charge. Composition C was composed of 88.3% RDX and 11.7% non-oily, non-explosive plasticizer. While it was effective within a temperature range of 0-40°C, it faced issues with brittleness at colder temperatures and gumminess at higher temperatures.
To address the limitations of Composition C, Composition C2 was developed, utilising a mixture of 80% RDX and 20% plasticizer. This formulation offered an improved temperature range, remaining plastic from -30°C to 52°C. Composition C2 was eventually replaced by Composition C3, which consisted of 77% RDX and 23% explosive plasticizer. While C3 was effective, it suffered from the same brittleness issues as its predecessor at cold temperatures. This led to its replacement with C4, which offered greater flexibility in terms of temperature range and addressed the brittleness problem.
During World War II, plastic explosives played a significant role in military operations, with the British employing them for demolition charges and the development of weapons such as the Gammon grenade. The versatility and mouldability of plastic explosives made them valuable tools for sabotage and demolition missions, contributing to their continued development and refinement throughout the war and beyond.
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Plastic explosives are also called putty explosives
Plastic explosives are soft and hand-mouldable solid explosives. They are also known as putty explosives within the field of explosives engineering. This is because they are made of a soft substance that can be formed into different shapes, much like putty.
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 or just Explosive 808. It had the appearance of green plasticine and a distinctive almond smell. During World War II, it was extensively used by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) for sabotage missions.
Following World War II, a number of new RDX-based explosives were developed, including Composition C, which was composed of 88.3% RDX and 11.7% non-oily, non-explosive plasticizer. It had a plastic temperature range of 0 to 40 °C (32–104 °F) but was brittle at colder temperatures and gummy at higher temperatures. Composition C was superseded by Composition C2, which used a mixture of 80% RDX and 20% plasticizer. This had a wider temperature range at which it remained plastic, from −30 to 52 °C (−22 to 126 °F).
Common plastic explosives include Semtex and C-4, which is the most common plastic explosive employed by the military in Vietnam. Plastic explosives are especially suited for explosive demolition and can be easily formed into ideal shapes for cutting through solid steel or concrete. They are also used for shock-hardening high manganese percentage steel, a material used for train rail components and earth-digging implements.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic explosives are soft and hand-mouldable, like clay, and can be formed into different shapes.
Some common plastic explosives include Semtex, C-4, and Nobel 808.
Plastic explosives are used for explosive demolition and in military applications. They are also used in shock-hardening high manganese percentage steel, which is used for train rail components and earth-digging implements.
Yes, plastic explosives tend to be significantly more expensive than other materials that perform similarly.
