The Chemistry Of Explosives

"Revised and expanded to reflect new developments in the field, this book outlines the basic principles required to understand the chemical processes of explosives. The Chemistry of Explosives provides an overview of the history of explosives, taking the reader to future developments. The text on the classification of explosive materials contains much data on the physical parameters of primary and secondary explosives. The explosive processes of deflagration and detonation, including the theory of 'hotspots' for the detonation process, are introduced and many examples are provided in the detailed description on the thermochemistry of explosives. New material includes coverage of the latest explosive compositions, such as high temperature explosives, nitrocubanes, energetic polymers, plasticizers and insensitive munitions (IM). This concise, readable book is ideal for 'A' level students and new graduates with no previous knowledge of explosive materials. With detailed information on a vast range of explosives in tabular form and an extensive bibliography, this book will also be useful to anyone needing succinct information on the subject."

Organic Chemistry of Explosives is the first text to bring together the essential methods and routes used for the synthesis of organic explosives in a single volume. Assuming no prior knowledge, the book discusses everything from the simplest mixed acid nitration of toluene, to the complex synthesis of highly energetic caged nitro compounds. Reviews laboratory and industrial methods, which can be used to introduce aliphatic C-nitro, aromatic C-nitro, N-nitro, and nitrate ester functionality into organic compounds Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each synthetic method or route, with scope, limitations, substrate compatibility and other important considerations Features numerous examples in the form of text, reaction diagrams, and tables.

Black powder, the world's first chemical explosive, was originally developed during the Tang dynasty in China.It was a crude mixture at first, but over time chemists discovered the optimum proportion of sulfur, charcoal, and nitrates, as well as the best way to mix them for a complete and powerful reaction. Author and chemistry buff Simon Quellen Field takes readers on a decades-long journey through the history of things that go boom, from the early days of black powder to today's modern plastic explosives. Not just the who, when, and why, but also the how. How did Chinese alchemists come to create black powder? What accidents led to the discovery of high explosives? How do explosives actually work on a molecular scale? Boom! The Chemistry and History of Explosives reviews the original papers and patents written by the chemists who invented them, to shed light on their development, to explore the consequences of their use for good and ill, and to give the reader a basic understanding of the chemistry that makes them possible.

Explosives are used around the world for both productive purposes such as building hydroelectric dams and mining and destructive purposes, primarily by the military. Explosives are usually divided into two classes those that burn and those that detonate. Detonated explosives typically produce a shock front or shock wave that results from an exothermic chemical reaction. This chemical reaction usually results in a relatively stable compound being exposed to a concentrated source of energy such as a blasting cap or other type of detonation device. The solid explosive will phase shift to a high temperature expanding gas in approximately one-millionth of a second (a nanosecond) with pressures exceeding several million pounds per square inch. For one example we can examine 'Det Cord', also known as Primacord which is usually produced in rolled up or coiled section of cord. This cord is then unwound and when detonated will produce an explosive front along the length of the cord that travels at the speed of 5 miles per second. In other words, if you laid out 5 miles of Det cord, and detonated it, the 5 miles of cord would be explosively spent in one second. Whereas if you burned or ignited the same amount cord it could take weeks to burn to completion. This 2 volume set explains the nature of the various industrial and military explosives and also discusses some of the chemistry involved in these explosives - particularly in the 2nd volume.

This book is used as a textbook for “Ammunition Technical Officers Course” and “Artillery Course” in Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). These courses are offered by School of Professional and Continuing Education UTM in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces. Currently this book is also being considered to be used in the newly approved Masters Degree in Forensic Science, Faculty of Science, UTM. Fundamentals of Explosive Chemistry discusses the phenomenon of explosion, historical development of explosives, classification of materials, performance of explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics and the theory related to burning, detonation and explosions. The contents are discussed intriguingly yet only minimal chemistry knowledge is required. This book is useful for students of Forensic Science and Enforcement Agencies like the Chemistry Department, Army, Police, and Fire Department, helping them in the understanding of physical and chemical aspects of explosives, especially for storage and handling or during investigations of crimes involving explosions and explosives.

The present volume contains in one binding the whole contents of Volume I, first published in May, 1941, and the whole contents of Volume II which was published in March, 1943. The book was primarily for chemists. The writing of it was commenced in order that a textbook might be available for the use of students in the course in powder and explosives which the author gave for about twenty years (nearly every year since the first World War) to fourth-year and graduate students of chemistry and of chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[...] The aim of the book has been to describe as clearly and interestingly as possible, and as fully as seemed profitable the modes of behavior, both physical and chemical, of explosive substances, whether these modes find practical application or not. Historical material has been included where it was thought that it contributed to this end, and has not been included elsewhere or for any other reason. It is a fact that a knowledge of the history of ideas, of persons, or of things produces something of the same sympathetic understanding of them that living with them and working with them does.-Print ed.