How powerful are explosives?

[UncleAl]

Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

and references therein. "Explosives" by Rudolf Meyer, at least the 4th Ed.

[JackOfTraDeZ]

there is a world of difference between something that explodes (like gunpowder) and something that detonates (like TNT or nitroglycerine)

 

i cant begin to explain it here. but i can answer your other question.

 

TNT is rather lame as hi-X goes, the only reason it is used at all is cause its dirt cheap to make.

 

The "plastique" or plastic explosives you may have heard of are derived from RDX (symmetrical cyclo-trimethylene-trinitroamine) and PETN (penta-erythritol tetranitrate). these are the most powerful explosives in current widespread use.

 

Experimental are hexanitrobenzene, THE most powerful, but difficult to handle and manipulate. And also, octanitrocubane, which currently can only be made in very small amounts very expensive and difficult.

 

tetra-nitro-tetrahedrane is calculated to be the most powerful chemical explosive that can be made. problem is, noone has been able to make it ....

 

gottaluv this stuff ....