Polymer-bonded explosive
Encyclopedia
A polymer-bonded explosive, also called PBX or plastic-bonded explosive, is an explosive material in which explosive powder is bound together in a matrix using small quantities (typically 5–10% by weight) of a synthetic polymer
("plastic
"). Note that despite the word "plastic", polymer-bonded explosives are not hand malleable after curing, and hence are not a form of plastic explosive
.
PBX was first developed in 1952 in Los Alamos laboratories
, as RDX
embedded in polystyrene
with dioctyl phthalate plasticizer
. HMX
compositions with teflon-based binders were developed in 1960s and 1970s for gun shells
and for lunar seismic experiments
.
PBXs are normally used for explosive materials that are not easily melted into a cast, or are otherwise difficult to form.
Polymer-bonded explosives have several potential advantages:
Fluoropolymer
s are advantageous as binders due to their high density
(yielding high detonation velocity) and inert chemical behavior (yielding long shelf stability and low aging). They are however somewhat brittle, as their glass transition
temperature is at room temperature or above; this limits their use to insensitive explosives (e.g. TATB
) where the brittleness does not have detrimental effect to safety. They are also difficult to process.
Elastomer
s have to be used with more mechanically sensitive explosives, e.g. HMX
. The elasticity of the matrix lowers sensitivity of the bulk material to shock and friction; their glass transition temperature is chosen to be below the lower boundary of the temperature working range (typically below -55 °C). Crosslinked rubber
polymers are however sensitive to aging, mostly by action of free radicals and by hydrolysis
of the bonds by traces of water vapor. Rubbers like Estane
or hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene
(HTPB) are used for these applications extensively. Silicone rubber
s and thermoplastic polyurethanes
are also in use.
Fluoroelastomer
s, e.g. Viton
, combine the advantages of both.
Energetic polymers (e.g. nitro or azido derivates of polymers) can be used as a binder to increase the explosive power in comparison with inert binders. Energetic plasticizers can be also used. The addition of a plasticizer lowers the sensitivity of the explosive and improves its processibility.
Explosives can be damaged by mechanical loads and temperature excursions; such damages are called insults. The mechanism of a thermal insult at low temperatures is primarily thermomechanical, at higher temperatures it is primarily thermochemical. Thermomechanical mechanisms involve stresses by thermal expansion (namely differential thermal expansions, as thermal gradients tend to be involved), melting/freezing or sublimation/condensation of components, and phase transitions of crystals (e.g. transition of HMX from beta phase to delta phase at 175 °C involves a large change in volume and causes extensive cracking of its crystals). Thermochemical changes involve decomposition of the explosives and binders, loss of strength of binder as it softens or melts, or stiffening of the binder if the increased temperature causes crosslinking of the polymer chains. The changes can also significantly alter the porosity of the material, whether by increasing it (fracturing of crystals, vaporization of components) or decreasing it (melting of components). The size distribution of the crystals can be also altered, e.g. by Ostwald ripening
. Thermochemical decomposition starts to occur at the crystal nonhomogeneities, e.g. intragranular interfaces between crystal growth zones, on damaged parts of the crystals, or on interfaces of different materials (e.g. crystal/binder). Presence of defects in crystals (cracks, voids, solvent inclusions...) may increase the explosive's sensitivity to mechanical shocks.
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
("plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
"). Note that despite the word "plastic", polymer-bonded explosives are not hand malleable after curing, and hence are not a form of plastic explosive
Plastic explosive
Plastic explosive is a specialised form of explosive material. It is a soft and hand moldable solid material. Plastic explosives are properly known as putty explosives within the field of explosives engineering....
.
PBX was first developed in 1952 in Los Alamos laboratories
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
, as RDX
RDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...
embedded in polystyrene
Polystyrene
Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
with dioctyl phthalate plasticizer
Plasticizer
Plasticizers or dispersants are additives that increase the plasticity or fluidity of the material to which they are added; these include plastics, cement, concrete, wallboard, and clay. Although the same compounds are often used for both plastics and concretes the desired effects and results are...
. HMX
HMX
HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular...
compositions with teflon-based binders were developed in 1960s and 1970s for gun shells
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
and for lunar seismic experiments
Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package
The Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package comprised a set of scientific instruments placed by the astronauts at the landing site of each of the five Apollo missions to land on the Moon following Apollo 11...
.
PBXs are normally used for explosive materials that are not easily melted into a cast, or are otherwise difficult to form.
Polymer-bonded explosives have several potential advantages:
- If the polymer matrix is an elastomerElastomerAn elastomer is a polymer with the property of viscoelasticity , generally having notably low Young's modulus and high yield strain compared with other materials. The term, which is derived from elastic polymer, is often used interchangeably with the term rubber, although the latter is preferred...
(rubbery material), it tends to absorb shocks, making the PBX very insensitive to accidental detonation, and thus ideal for insensitive munitionsInsensitive munitionsInsensitive munitions are munitions that are chemically stable enough to withstand mechanical shocks, fire, and impact by shrapnel, but that can still explode as intended to destroy their targets.-Description:...
. - Hard polymers can produce PBX that is very rigid and maintains a precise engineering shape even under severe stress.
- PBX powders can be pressed into a particular shape at room temperature, when casting normally requires hazardous melting of the explosive. High pressure pressing can achieve density for the material very close to the theoretical crystal density of the base explosive material.
- Many PBXes are safe to machine — to turn solid blocks into complex three-dimensional shapes. For example, a billetBillet (manufacturing)Semi-finished casting products are intermediate castings produced in a foundry that need further processing before being a finished good. There are four types: ingots, billets, blooms, and slabs.-Ingot:...
of PBX can, if necessary, be precisely shaped on a latheLatheA lathe is a machine tool which rotates the workpiece on its axis to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.Lathes are used in woodturning,...
. This technique is used to machine explosive lensExplosive lensAn explosive lens—as used, for example, in nuclear weapons—is a highly specialized explosive charge, a special type of a shaped charge. In general, it is a device composed of several explosive charges that are shaped in such a way as to change the shape of the detonation wave passing through it,...
es necessary for modern nuclear weapons.
Fluoropolymer
Fluoropolymer
A fluoropolymer is a fluorocarbon based polymer with multiple strong carbon–fluorine bonds. It is characterized by a high resistance to solvents, acids, and bases.-History:Fluoropolymers were accidentally discovered in 1938 by Dr. Roy J...
s are advantageous as binders due to their high density
Density
The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight...
(yielding high detonation velocity) and inert chemical behavior (yielding long shelf stability and low aging). They are however somewhat brittle, as their glass transition
Glass transition
The liquid-glass transition is the reversible transition in amorphous materials from a hard and relatively brittle state into a molten or rubber-like state. An amorphous solid that exhibits a glass transition is called a glass...
temperature is at room temperature or above; this limits their use to insensitive explosives (e.g. TATB
TATB
TATB, or triaminotrinitrobenzene, is an aromatic explosive, based on the basic six-carbon benzene ring structure with three nitro functional groups and three amine groups attached, alternating around the ring....
) where the brittleness does not have detrimental effect to safety. They are also difficult to process.
Elastomer
Elastomer
An elastomer is a polymer with the property of viscoelasticity , generally having notably low Young's modulus and high yield strain compared with other materials. The term, which is derived from elastic polymer, is often used interchangeably with the term rubber, although the latter is preferred...
s have to be used with more mechanically sensitive explosives, e.g. HMX
HMX
HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular...
. The elasticity of the matrix lowers sensitivity of the bulk material to shock and friction; their glass transition temperature is chosen to be below the lower boundary of the temperature working range (typically below -55 °C). Crosslinked rubber
Synthetic rubber
Synthetic rubber is is any type of artificial elastomer, invariably a polymer. An elastomer is a material with the mechanical property that it can undergo much more elastic deformation under stress than most materials and still return to its previous size without permanent deformation...
polymers are however sensitive to aging, mostly by action of free radicals and by hydrolysis
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization...
of the bonds by traces of water vapor. Rubbers like Estane
Thermoplastic polyurethanes
Thermoplastic polyurethanes are a class of polyurethane plastics with many useful properties, including elasticity, transparency, and resistance to oil, grease and abrasion...
or hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene
Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene
Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene is a polymer of butadiene terminated at each end with a hydroxyl functional group. It reacts with diisocyanate to form polyurethane, a stable and easily stored synthetic material....
(HTPB) are used for these applications extensively. Silicone rubber
Silicone rubber
Silicone rubber is an elastomer composed of silicone—itself a polymer—containing silicon together with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Silicone rubbers are widely used in industry, and there are multiple formulations...
s and thermoplastic polyurethanes
Thermoplastic polyurethanes
Thermoplastic polyurethanes are a class of polyurethane plastics with many useful properties, including elasticity, transparency, and resistance to oil, grease and abrasion...
are also in use.
Fluoroelastomer
Fluoroelastomer
A fluoroelastomer is a special purpose fluorocarbon-based synthetic rubber. It has wide chemical resistance and superior performance, especially in high temperature application in different media....
s, e.g. Viton
Viton
Viton is a brand of synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer commonly used in O-rings and other molded or extruded goods. The name is a registered trademark of DuPont Performance Elastomers L.L.C.....
, combine the advantages of both.
Energetic polymers (e.g. nitro or azido derivates of polymers) can be used as a binder to increase the explosive power in comparison with inert binders. Energetic plasticizers can be also used. The addition of a plasticizer lowers the sensitivity of the explosive and improves its processibility.
Explosives can be damaged by mechanical loads and temperature excursions; such damages are called insults. The mechanism of a thermal insult at low temperatures is primarily thermomechanical, at higher temperatures it is primarily thermochemical. Thermomechanical mechanisms involve stresses by thermal expansion (namely differential thermal expansions, as thermal gradients tend to be involved), melting/freezing or sublimation/condensation of components, and phase transitions of crystals (e.g. transition of HMX from beta phase to delta phase at 175 °C involves a large change in volume and causes extensive cracking of its crystals). Thermochemical changes involve decomposition of the explosives and binders, loss of strength of binder as it softens or melts, or stiffening of the binder if the increased temperature causes crosslinking of the polymer chains. The changes can also significantly alter the porosity of the material, whether by increasing it (fracturing of crystals, vaporization of components) or decreasing it (melting of components). The size distribution of the crystals can be also altered, e.g. by Ostwald ripening
Ostwald ripening
right|thumb|300px|Basic schematic of the Ostwald ripening process Ostwald ripening is an observed phenomenon in solid solutions or liquid sols which describes the change of an inhomogeneous structure over time...
. Thermochemical decomposition starts to occur at the crystal nonhomogeneities, e.g. intragranular interfaces between crystal growth zones, on damaged parts of the crystals, or on interfaces of different materials (e.g. crystal/binder). Presence of defects in crystals (cracks, voids, solvent inclusions...) may increase the explosive's sensitivity to mechanical shocks.
| Name | Explosive Ingredients | Binder Ingredients | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDC-29 | β-HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 95% | 5% HTPB Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene is a polymer of butadiene terminated at each end with a hydroxyl functional group. It reacts with diisocyanate to form polyurethane, a stable and easily stored synthetic material.... | UK United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... composition |
| EDC-37 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... /NC Nitrocellulose Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton... 91% | 9% polyurethane Polyurethane A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are... rubber | |
| LX-04-1 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 85% | Viton Viton Viton is a brand of synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer commonly used in O-rings and other molded or extruded goods. The name is a registered trademark of DuPont Performance Elastomers L.L.C..... -A 15% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons (W62 W62 The W62 is an American thermonuclear warhead designed in the late 1960s and manufactured from 1970 to 1976, used on some Minuteman III ICBMs and retired in 2010.... , W70 W70 W70 is the designation for a tactical nuclear warhead developed by the United States in the early 1970s. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory designed W70 was used on the MGM-52 Lance. About 1250 were built in total. The warhead had a variable yield of between 1 and 100 kilotons, selectable... ) |
| LX-07-2 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 90% | Viton Viton Viton is a brand of synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer commonly used in O-rings and other molded or extruded goods. The name is a registered trademark of DuPont Performance Elastomers L.L.C..... -A 10% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons (W71 W71 The W-71 nuclear warhead was a US thermonuclear warhead developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and deployed on the LIM-49A Spartan Anti-ballistic missile... ) |
| LX-09-0 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 93% | BDNPA 4.6%; FEFO 2.4% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons (W68 W68 The W68 warhead was the warhead used on the UGM-73 Poseidon SLBM missile. It was developed in the late 1960s at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.-Specifications:The W68 weighs... ). Prone to deterioration and separation of the plasticizer Plasticizer Plasticizers or dispersants are additives that increase the plasticity or fluidity of the material to which they are added; these include plastics, cement, concrete, wallboard, and clay. Although the same compounds are often used for both plastics and concretes the desired effects and results are... and binder Binder (material) -See also:*Adhesive or Glue*Cement*Paint... . Caused serious safety problems. |
| LX-09-1 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 93.3% | BDNPA 4.4%; FEFO 2.3% | |
| LX-10-0 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 95% | Viton Viton Viton is a brand of synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer commonly used in O-rings and other molded or extruded goods. The name is a registered trademark of DuPont Performance Elastomers L.L.C..... -A 5% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons (W68 W68 The W68 warhead was the warhead used on the UGM-73 Poseidon SLBM missile. It was developed in the late 1960s at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.-Specifications:The W68 weighs... (replaced LX-09), W70 W70 W70 is the designation for a tactical nuclear warhead developed by the United States in the early 1970s. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory designed W70 was used on the MGM-52 Lance. About 1250 were built in total. The warhead had a variable yield of between 1 and 100 kilotons, selectable... , W79 W79 The W79 was an American nuclear artillery shell, fired from any standard 8 inch howitzer e.g. the M115.The W79 was produced in two models, the "W79 Mod 0" and "W79 Mod 1"... , W82 W82 The W82 was a low yield tactical nuclear warhead developed by the United States and designed to be used in a 155mm artillery shell . It was conceived as a more flexible replacement for the W48, the previous generation of 155mm nuclear artillery shell... ) |
| LX-10-1 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 94.5% | Viton Viton Viton is a brand of synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer commonly used in O-rings and other molded or extruded goods. The name is a registered trademark of DuPont Performance Elastomers L.L.C..... -A 5.5% | |
| LX-11-0 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 80% | Viton Viton Viton is a brand of synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer commonly used in O-rings and other molded or extruded goods. The name is a registered trademark of DuPont Performance Elastomers L.L.C..... -A 20% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons (W71 W71 The W-71 nuclear warhead was a US thermonuclear warhead developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and deployed on the LIM-49A Spartan Anti-ballistic missile... ) |
| LX-14 LX-14 LX-14 and LX-14-0 are Polymer-bonded explosives developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and used in Nuclear weapons in the United States.- Ingredients :... -0 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 95.5% | Estane & 5702-Fl 4.5% | |
| LX-15 | HNS Hexanitrostilbene Hexanitrostilbene , also called JD-X, is a heat resistant high explosive developed at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory in the 1960s. Other names include 1,1'-bis[2,4,6-trinitrobenzene]; 1,2-bis--ethylene; hexanitrodiphenylethylene.It is commercially produced by oxidizing trinitrotoluene with a... 95% | Kel-F 800 5% | |
| LX-16 | PETN PETN Pentaerythritol tetranitrate , also known as PENT, PENTA, TEN, corpent, penthrite , is the nitrate ester of pentaerythritol. Penta refers to the five carbon atoms of the neopentane skeleton.PETN is most well known as an explosive... 96% | FPC461 4% | |
| LX-17-0 | TATB TATB TATB, or triaminotrinitrobenzene, is an aromatic explosive, based on the basic six-carbon benzene ring structure with three nitro functional groups and three amine groups attached, alternating around the ring.... 92.5% | Kel-F 800 7.5% | High-velocity, insensitive; nuclear weapons (B83 B83 nuclear bomb The B83 nuclear weapon is a variable yield gravity bomb developed by the United States in the late 1970s, entering service in 1983. With a maximum yield of 1.2 megatons, it is currently the most powerful atomic weapon in the US arsenal... , W84 W84 The W84 is an American thermonuclear warhead designed for use on the BGM-109G Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missile . It is a derivative of the B61 nuclear bomb design and a close relative of the W80 warhead used on the AGM-86 ALCM, AGM-129 ACM, and BGM-109 Tomahawk SLCM cruise missiles.The W84... , W87 W87 The W87 is an American thermonuclear missile warhead. It was created for use on the MX or Peacekeeper ICBM, 50 of which, with up to 12 warheads per missile, were deployed during the 1986-2005 period... , W89 W89 The W89 was an American thermonuclear warhead design intended for use on the AGM-131 SRAM II air to ground nuclear missile.What was to become the W89 design was awarded to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the mid-1980s. It entered Phase 2A technical definition and cost study in... ) |
| PBX 9007 | RDX RDX RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4... 90% | Polystyrene Polystyrene Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry... 9.1%; DOP 0.5%; rosin Rosin .Rosin, also called colophony or Greek pitch , is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile liquid terpene components. It is semi-transparent and varies in color from yellow to black... 0.4% | |
| PBX 9010 | RDX RDX RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4... 90% | Kel-F 3700 10% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons (W50 W50 (atomic weapon) The W-50 or W50 thermonuclear warhead was a nuclear bomb used on the MGM-31 Pershing intermediate range nuclear missile.There were two major variants produced , in three yield options .All variants were in diameter and long, weighing .The W50 used the Tsetse primary design... , B43 B43 nuclear bomb The B43 was a United States air-dropped variable yield nuclear weapon used by a wide variety of fighter bomber and bomber aircraft.The B43 was developed from 1956 by Los Alamos National Laboratory, entering production in 1959. It entered service in April 1961. Total production was 2,000 weapons,... ) |
| PBX 9011 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 90% | Estane and 5703-Fl 10% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons (B57 B57 nuclear bomb The B57 nuclear bomb was a tactical nuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War.Entering production in 1963 as the Mk 57, the bomb was designed to be dropped from high-speed tactical aircraft. It had a streamlined casing to withstand supersonic flight. It was 3 m long, with a... mods 1 and 2) |
| PBX 9205 | RDX RDX RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4... 92% | Polystyrene Polystyrene Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry... 6%; DOP 2% | |
| PBX 9404 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 94% | NC Nitrocellulose Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton... 3%; CEF 3% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons, widely used (B43 B43 nuclear bomb The B43 was a United States air-dropped variable yield nuclear weapon used by a wide variety of fighter bomber and bomber aircraft.The B43 was developed from 1956 by Los Alamos National Laboratory, entering production in 1959. It entered service in April 1961. Total production was 2,000 weapons,... , W48 W48 The W48 was an American nuclear artillery shell, fired from a standard 155 mm howitzer e.g. the M114 or M198. It was manufactured starting in 1963, and all units were retired in 1992.... , W50 W50 (atomic weapon) The W-50 or W50 thermonuclear warhead was a nuclear bomb used on the MGM-31 Pershing intermediate range nuclear missile.There were two major variants produced , in three yield options .All variants were in diameter and long, weighing .The W50 used the Tsetse primary design... , W55 W55 The W55 was an American thermonuclear warhead used as the warhead for the SUBROC antisubmarine rocket system. The W55 was designed in the early-1960s, and produced from 1964 to 1968. The last units were retired from service in 1990. A total of 285 W55 weapons were produced.The W55 had a yield... , W56 W56 The W56 is an American thermonuclear warhead produced starting in 1963 which saw service until 1993, on the Minuteman I and II ICBMs.The W56 was manufactured in a series of models, all the same rough size and 1.2 megaton yield. The Mod-1, Mod-2, and Mod-3 variants weighed 600 pounds, with the... , B57 B57 nuclear bomb The B57 nuclear bomb was a tactical nuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War.Entering production in 1963 as the Mk 57, the bomb was designed to be dropped from high-speed tactical aircraft. It had a streamlined casing to withstand supersonic flight. It was 3 m long, with a... mod 2, B61 B61 nuclear bomb The B61 nuclear bomb is the primary thermonuclear weapon in the U.S. Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is an intermediate yield strategic and tactical nuclear weapon featuring a two-stage radiation implosion design.... mods 0, 1, 2, 5, W69 W69 W69 is a United States nuclear warhead used in AGM-69 SRAM Short-Range Attack Missiles.It was designed in the early 1970s and produced from 1974 to 1976. It remained in service until 1991, with the last units being retired in 1996... ). Serious safety problems related to aging and decomposition of the nitrocellulose binder. |
| PBX 9407 | RDX RDX RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4... 94% | FPC461 6% | |
| PBX 9501 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 95% | Estane 2.5%; BDNPA-F 2.5% | High-velocity; nuclear weapons (W76 W76 The W76 is a United States thermonuclear warhead. It was manufactured from 1978-1987, and is still in service .The W-76 is carried inside a Mk-4 re-entry vehicle. U.S... , W78 W78 The W78 thermonuclear warhead is the warhead used on most of the United States LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles , along with the MK-12A reentry vehicle which carried the warhead. Minuteman III's initially deployed with the older W62 warhead; the W78 was deployed starting... , W88 W88 The W88 is a United States thermonuclear warhead, with an estimated yield of 475 kiloton , and is small enough to fit on MIRVed missiles. The W88 was designed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1970s. In 1999 the director of Los Alamos who had presided over its design described it as... ). One of the most extensively studied high explosive formulations. |
| PBS 9501 | - | Estane 2.5%; BDNPA-F 2.5%; sieved white sugar 95% | inert simulant of mechanical properties of PBX 9501 |
| PBX 9502 | TATB TATB TATB, or triaminotrinitrobenzene, is an aromatic explosive, based on the basic six-carbon benzene ring structure with three nitro functional groups and three amine groups attached, alternating around the ring.... 95% | Kel-F 800 5% | High-velocity, insensitive; principal in recent US nuclear weapons (B61 B61 nuclear bomb The B61 nuclear bomb is the primary thermonuclear weapon in the U.S. Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is an intermediate yield strategic and tactical nuclear weapon featuring a two-stage radiation implosion design.... mods 3, 4, 6-10, W80, W85 W85 The W85 was a thermonuclear warhead developed by the United States of America to arm the Pershing II missile. It had a variable yield— often referred to as "dial-a-yield" — which could be set between 5 and 80 kilotons.-Overview:... , B90 B90 nuclear bomb The B90 was an American thermonuclear bomb designed in the mid to late 1980s and cancelled prior to introduction into military service.The B90 design was intended for use as a naval aircraft weapon, for use as a nuclear depth bomb and as a land attack strike bomb. It was intended to replace the... , W91 W91 The W91 was an American thermonuclear warhead intended for use on the SRAM-T variant of the AGM-131 SRAM II air to ground missile.What was to become the W91 design entered into a Phase 2 design competition between the various nuclear weapons laboratories in November 1988... ), backfitted to earlier warheads to replace less safe explosives. |
| PBX 9503 | TATB TATB TATB, or triaminotrinitrobenzene, is an aromatic explosive, based on the basic six-carbon benzene ring structure with three nitro functional groups and three amine groups attached, alternating around the ring.... 80%; HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 15% | Kel-F 800 5% | |
| PBX 9604 | RDX RDX RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4... 96% | Kel-F 800 4% | |
| PBXN-106 | RDX RDX RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4... | polyurethane Polyurethane A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are... rubber | Naval shells |
| PBXN-3 | RDX RDX RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4... 85% | Nylon Nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station... | AIM-9X Sidewinder Missile |
| PBXN-5 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 95% | fluoroelastomer Fluoroelastomer A fluoroelastomer is a special purpose fluorocarbon-based synthetic rubber. It has wide chemical resistance and superior performance, especially in high temperature application in different media.... 5% | Naval shells |
| PBXN-9 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 92% | HYTEMP 4454 2%, Diisooctyl adipate (DOA) Bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate Bis adipate or DEHA is a plasticizer. DEHA is an ester of 2-ethylhexanol and adipic acid. Its chemical formula is 22424.DEHA is sometimes called "dioctyl adipate", incorrectly. Other names include diisooctyl adipate and di adipate.-Use:DEHA is used as a functional hydraulic fluid, and a component... 6% | Various |
| X-0242 | HMX HMX HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular... 92% | polymer Polymer A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds... 8% | |
| XTX 8003 | PETN PETN Pentaerythritol tetranitrate , also known as PENT, PENTA, TEN, corpent, penthrite , is the nitrate ester of pentaerythritol. Penta refers to the five carbon atoms of the neopentane skeleton.PETN is most well known as an explosive... 80% | Sylgard 182 (silicone rubber Silicone rubber Silicone rubber is an elastomer composed of silicone—itself a polymer—containing silicon together with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Silicone rubbers are widely used in industry, and there are multiple formulations... ) 20% | High-velocity, extrudable; nuclear weapons (W68 W68 The W68 warhead was the warhead used on the UGM-73 Poseidon SLBM missile. It was developed in the late 1960s at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.-Specifications:The W68 weighs... , W76 W76 The W76 is a United States thermonuclear warhead. It was manufactured from 1978-1987, and is still in service .The W-76 is carried inside a Mk-4 re-entry vehicle. U.S... ) |