However, a better comparison for this material is TNT, since C4 is not a melt castable explosive. While C4 can be molded into different shapes, it cannot be cast into hollow containers, and can only me molded into shapes with pressure, whereas the new material can be melted, poured into the hollow containers and allowed to resolidify prior to use.
How powerful is C4 compared to TNT?
They claim c4 is 1.5 x more powerful than TNT. It can also be more easily shaped to provide greater shear, or cutting strength as far as destroying structure. The real benefit of C4 is that without the correct fuse, it is harmless.
How much Tannerite equals dynamite?
“Usually they come in two or four ounce containers you’re pretty safe 100 feet away with those but two pounds you’d have to be about 300 yards probably,” says Carlson. He says two pounds of Tannerite is equivalent to two sticks of dynamite.
What is the most powerful chemical explosive?
Its basic explosion characteristics are:
- Explosion energy: 5810 kJ/kg (1390 kcal/kg), so 1 kg of PETN has the energy of 1.24 kg TNT.
- Detonation velocity: 8350 m/s (1.73 g/cm 3 ), 7910 m/s (1.62 g/cm 3 ), 7420 m/s (1.5 g/cm 3 ), 8500 m/s (pressed in a steel tube)
- Volume of gases produced: 790 dm 3 /kg (other value: 768 dm 3 /kg)
- Explosion temperature: 4230 °C
- Oxygen balance: −6.31 atom -g/kg
Why are C4 charges called C4?
C-4 or Composition C-4 is a common variety of the plastic explosive family known as Composition C, which uses RDX as its explosive agent. C-4 is composed of explosives, plastic binder, plasticizer to make it malleable, and usually a marker or odorizing taggant chemical. C-4 has a texture similar to modelling clay and can be molded into any desired shape. C-4 is metastable and can be exploded only by the shock wave from a detonator or blasting cap. A similar British plastic explosive, also based
How powerful is C4 compared to TNT?
C4 is 18% more powerful than TNT. Ammonium nitrate in its pure form is a fairly weak explosive.
What is the blast force of C4?
Detonation can only be initiated by a shockwave, such as when a detonator inserted into it is fired. When detonated, C-4 rapidly decomposes to release nitrogen, water and carbon oxides as well as other gases. The detonation proceeds at an explosive velocity of 8,092 m/s (26,550 ft/s).
Is C4 a high or low explosive?
Booster - A cap-sensitive high explosive used to initiate other less sensitive high explosives. Brisance - The shattering power associated with high explosives. C4 - A white, pliable military plastic explosive containing primarily Cyclonite (RDX).
How loud is a C4 explosion?
The explosion was produced by detonation of C4 explosive at a distance of 400 m with an overall sound exposure level (SEL) of 128 decibels (dB).
Can C4 destroy a tank?
C4 is a great anti-tank weapon if a LAW is not available. If the C4 is attached to the tank when it detonates, it will immediately destroy the tank.
What is the difference between C4 and Semtex?
There are visual differences between Semtex and other plastic explosives, too: while C-4 is off-white in colour, Semtex is red or brick-orange. The new explosive was widely exported, notably to the government of North Vietnam, which received 14 tons during the Vietnam War.
What is the most powerful military explosive?
Nitroglycerine, discovered in 1846, still remains the most powerful explosive in practical use. Many useful advances have been and are being made, but new explosives are merely new mixtures of old materials, given fancy names.
What is the most powerful chemical explosive?
Azidoazide azideAzidoazide azide is the most explosive chemical compound ever created. It is part of a class of chemicals known as high-nitrogen energetic materials, and it gets its "bang" from the 14 nitrogen atoms that compose it in a loosely bound state. This material is both highly reactive and highly explosive.
What does C4 stand for?
Definition of C-4 : a high explosive composed of various chemicals that make it moldable and plastic Before it was detonated, I held a piece of C-4 plastic explosive about the size of a baseball.
Which is better, C4 or TNT?
C4 is better if you are trying to cut steel. It’s a high explosive with a high RE (relative effectiveness) factor (RE factors compare the cutting ability of an explosive to TNT). It is very insensitive and safe to handle.
How many seconds does C4 take?
C4 clocks in at around 1.2 to 1.3.
How much C4 do you need to crack tanerite?
Tanerite is far less brisant, 10 - 20 times less. Imagine a plate 2.5 cm thick (1 inch thick) and 100 cm long (and several meters wide…. ). You’ll need about 3 - 4 kg line of C4 to crack it (100 cm long line) while it will take about 40 kg of tannerite to do the same.
What is C4 used for?
C4 is a high explosive “plastic” compound which is widely used in blasting, building demolition, and in military operations. It will readily destroy structures including steel-framed buildings, bridges, etc.
Is tannerite a brand?
Tannerite is technically a brand, not a type of explo sive, but from here on out I will use “Tannerite” to refer to a bullet-sensitive binary mixture of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder.
Is tannerite underfueled?
Tannerite is seriously underfueled and it has low density.
Is C-4 a high powered rifle?
So… C-4. No matter the amount of C-4, it’s the high powered sniper rifle. It happens quick and supersonic.
How many carbons are in an octanitrocubane?
Octanitrocubane consists of a cube of eight carbons with nitro groups (oxygens and nitrogens) attached to each carbon. One interesting fact is that it doesn't require an external oxygen source to decompose, meaning that it could blow up in every environment, including water and the vacuum of space.
Why isn't the most powerful explosive a non-nuclear explosive?
It is not "the most powerful" because no one can guarantee the inexistence of other explosive compounds, even more powerful , that are still part of some classified governmental project. This substance is a truly powerful explosive, insensitive to shock, ...
Is octanitrocubane explosive?
However, researchers haven't yet made enough octanitrocubane to check its explosiveness, but tests on small samples show that the compound could be twice as powerful as trinitrotoluene (TNT).
Is dynamite the same as TNT?
It is a common misconception that TNT and dynamite are the same, or that dynamite contains TNT. In fact, whereas TNT is a specific chemical compound, dynamite is an absorbent mixture soaked in nitroglycerin that is compressed into a cylindrical shape and wrapped in paper. Based on the explosive potential of nitroglycerin, ...
Is TNT explosive?
In fact, the explosive power of TNT is still considered the standard measure of strength of bombs and other explosives.
What is the advantage of C4?
A major advantage of C-4 is that it can easily be molded into any desired shape to change the direction of the resulting explosion. C4 has high cutting ability. For example, the complete severing of a 14-inch (36 cm) deep I-beam takes between 1.5 and 2 lb (680 and 910 g) of C4 when properly applied in thin sheets.
How to distinguish C-4 from other C-4?
It is possible to distinguish these sources by analyzing this oil by high-temperature gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The oil and plasticizer must be separated from the C-4 sample, typically by using a non-polar organic solvent such as pentane followed by solid phase extraction of the plasticizer on silica. This method of analysis is limited by manufacturing variation and methods of distribution.
What is PE4 made of?
The newer PE7 consists of 88.0% RDX, 1.0% DMNB taggant and 11.0% of a binder composed of low molecular mass hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene, along with an antioxidant and an agent preventing hardening of the binder upon prolonged storage. The PE8 consists of 86.5% RDX, 1.0% DMNB taggant and 12.5% of a binder composed of di (2-ethylhexyl) sebacate thickened with high molecular mass polyisobutylene.
What is the compound C-4?
The Composition C-4 used by the United States Armed Forces contains 91% RDX ("Research Department Explosive", an explosive nitroamine ), bound by a mixture of 5.3% dioctyl sebacate (DOS) or dioctyl adipate (DOA) as the plasticizer (to increase the plasticity of the explosive), thickened with 2.1% polyisobutylene (PIB, a synthetic rubber) as the binder, and 1.6% of a mineral oil often called "process oil." Instead of "process oil," low-viscosity motor oil is used in the manufacture of C-4 for civilian use.
How to make C-4?
The manufacturing process for Composition C-4 specifies that wet RDX and plastic binder are added in a stainless steel mixing kettle. This is called the aqueous slurry-coating process. The kettle is tumbled to obtain a homogeneous mixture. This mixture is wet and must be dried after transfer to drying trays. Drying with forced air for 16 hours at 50 °C to 60 °C is recommended to eliminate excess moisture. : 198
What is PE-4 explosive?
A similar British plastic explosive, also based on RDX but with different plasticizer than Composition C-4, is known as PE-4 (Plastic Explosive No. 4).
How much does a C-4 weigh?
The demolition charge M112 is a rectangular block of Composition C-4 about 2 by 1.5 inches (51 mm × 38 mm) and 11 inches (280 mm) long, weighing 1.25 lb (570 g). The M112 is wrapped in a sometimes olive color Mylar -film container with a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape on one surface.
When was TNT discovered?
TNT was discovered in Germany in 1863 by Joseph Wilbrand. Although not quite as powerful as dynamite (and harder to detonate), the main benefit of TNT is that it's even more stable than dynamite (Wilbrand, for instance, never lost a single brother to an explosion).
Is TNT a bomb?
Also, TNT can be melted down and poured into shell casings. On the downside, however, TNT is extremely toxic. While TNT packs plenty of bang by itself, it's often mixed with other things. A TNT and ammonium nitrate cocktail will get you amatol, a military explosive.
Is TNT a dynamite?
As for TNT, it's also a high explosive, but it ain't dynamite. TNT is a yellowish compound with the chemical name trinitrotoluene (try-night-row-TALL-you-een), which is somewhat easier to remember than its chemical formula, CH 3C6H2 (NO2)3. TNT was discovered in Germany in 1863 by Joseph Wilbrand. Although not quite as powerful as dynamite (and harder to detonate), the main benefit of TNT is that it's even more stable than dynamite (Wilbrand, for instance, never lost a single brother to an explosion). Also, TNT can be melted down and poured into shell casings. On the downside, however, TNT is extremely toxic.