2: Classification of Explosive Materials

The main focus of this chapter is on the chemical data of primary and secondary explosives. For this 4th edition the data has been up-dated using recent publications and databases. For primary explosives the chemical data on mercury fulminate, lead styphnate, tetrazene, lead and silver azide is presented and for secondary explosives the chemical data is given for nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose, picric acid, tetryl, TNT, nitroguandine, PETN, RDX and HMX, TATB, HNS, NTO, TNAZ, CL-20, FOX-7 and FOX-12, DNAN, LLM-105, DAF, DAAF, ADN, HNF, DNAZ-DN, TATP and HMTD. Chemical data on ammonium nitrate is also included. The classification of explosives is also introduced together with comparisons between primary and secondary explosives, and propellants.