Table Of ContentR. Meyer
J. Köhler
A. Homburg
Explosives
Explosives. Sixth Edition. Rudolf Meyer, Josef Köhler, Axel Homburg
Copyright © 2007 Wiley-VCH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
ISBN: 978-3-527-31656-4
Rudolf Meyer
Josef Köhler
Axel Homburg
Explosives
Sixth, Completely
Revised Edition
Dr. Rudolf Meyer (†)
(formerly: WASAG Chemie AG, Essen, Germany)
Josef Köhler
Fronweg 1
A-4784 Schardenberg
Dr.-Ing. Axel Homburg
c/o Dynamit Nobel GmbH
Kaiserstr. 1
D-53839 Troisdorf
This book was carefully produced. Nevertheless, authors and publisher do not warrant
the information contained therein to be free of errors. Readers are advised to keep in
mind that statements, data, illustrations, procedural details or other items may inad-
vertently be inaccurate.
First Edition 1977
Second, Revised and Extended Edition 1981
Third, Revised and Extended Edition 1987
Fourth, Revised and Extended Edition 1994
Fifth, Completely Revised Edition, 2002
Sixth, Completely Revised Edition, 2007
Library of Congress Card No.: Applied for.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
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Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie;
detailed bibliographic data are available in the Internet at <http://dnb.d-nb.de>
© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, 2007
ISBN 978-3-527-31656-4
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Preface
The sixth English edition of “Explosives” which is now available can
look back over a history of 30 years since it was first published.
On the initiative of its main author Dr. Rudolf Meyer (who regrettably
died in 2000), the first copy of the German version of “Explosivstoffe”,
which had become known far beyond the borders of German-speaking
countries, was first translated in 1977. It was also Dr. Rudolf Meyer,
who in 1961, in his function of Technical Director of the German
company WASAG Chemie AG, gave new impetus to the company
brochure to achieve its present form.
The preparation of all the current German and English editions have a
closely-knit history with the Fraunhofer Institut für chemische Techno-
logie (ICT, formerly the Institut für Chemie der Treib- und Explosiv-
stoffe with its head offices in Pfinztal/Berghausen near Karlsruhe,
Germany. This institute was initially founded by Dr. Karl Meyer, Dr.
Rudolf Meyer’s elder brother in 1957, as part of the Technische
Hochschule, Karlsruhe, and was extended later on.
We regret to say that while this sixth edition was under preparation,
the Assistant Technical Director of ICT, Dr. Fred Volk, (1930–2005)
passed away.
Immediately after obtaining his doctorate in chemistry in 1960, Dr.
Fred Volk joined the ICT, which had then just been built in Pfinztal,
where he worked closely with Dr. Karl Meyer. The main focus of his
research within the area of explosive analysis was on the use of thin-
layer chromatography and mass spectrometry as well as on calculat-
ing thermodynamic energies used in explosive and combustion proc-
esses. The many key words and the related articles in “Explosives”
dealing with theoretical and thermodynamic performances were pains-
takingly checked, or written by Dr. F. Volk himself, each time before a
new edition was printed.
As an addition to the previous edition of “Explosives”, this book in-
cludes even more information on new explosive formulations.
Dr. Alfred Kappl has provided information and text materials on Fuel
Air and Thermobaric explosives, and Dr. Robert Bickes (Sandia Na-
tional Labs, USA) has contributed an article about Semiconductor
Bridge Igniters (SCB). The special department II.3 (Dr. Thomas Leh-
mann, Dr. Silke Schwarz and Dr. Dietrich Eckhardt) of the Deutsche
Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (German Federal
Institute for Material Testing and Research, BAM) has also contributed
important notes and references on the subjects of hazardous sub-
stances and testing procedures.
Prof. Dr. Charles L. Mader has provided relevant information on the
subject area of detonation physics. The Fraunhofer ICT has once
again provided valuable help towards the publication of this volume,
Preface VI
and Prof. Dr. P. Elsner, Dr. S. Kelzenberg, Dr. Th. Keicher, Dr. N.
Eisenreich, Dr. K. Menke, Dr. H. Krause, Dr. M. Hermann, and Dr. P.B.
Kempa deserve particular mention for their generous contributions.
The authors would particularly like to thank their colleagues mentioned
above for their contributions and for providing valuable comments.
Due to reductions and restructuring in the explosives industry, which
has sometimes resulted in a complete loss of former product and
company names used over decades, a range of names used in the
past has not been included in this edition.
As an addition a CD containing a demo version of the ICT-Database of
Thermochemical Values and information about the ICT-Thermody-
namic-Code ist attached to the book. The full version of the database
contains detailed information of more than 14,000 substances, includ-
ing structure formulae, oxygen balance, densities and enthalpies of
formation. The Code may be used for calculating properties of for-
mulations like the heat of explosion or specific impulse of explosives,
propellants or pyrotechnics. Both programs, updated regularly, are
available by the Fraunhofer ICT.
Among these may be mentioned Dr. B. Eulering (WASAG Chemie,
Essen), Dipl.-Ing. W. Franke (BAM, Berlin), Dipl.-Ing. H. Grosse†
(WASAG Chemie), Dr. E. Häusler† (BICT), Dr. R. Hagel (Ruag Ammo-
tec, Fürth), Dr. H. Hornberg† (ICT), Dr. H. Krebs (BAM, Berlin), Dr. G.
Kistner (ICT), Prof. Dr H. Köhler† (Austron), Dr. A. Kratsch (Rheinme-
tall Industrie GmbH), Dip.-Ing. H. Krätschmer, Dr. K. Meyer† (ICT),
Prof. Dr.-Ing. K. Nixdorff (BW University, Hamburg), Dr. K. Redecker,
Dr. H.J. Rodner (BAM, Berlin), Dr. J.F. Roth† (DNAG, Troisdorf), Prof.
Dr. H. Schubert (ICT), Prof. Dr. M. Steidinger (BAM, Berlin), Dipl.-Ing.
G. Stockmann (WNC-Nitrochemie), Dr. G. Traxler (ORS Wien), Mr. R.
Varosh (RISI, USA), Mr. J. Wraige (Solar Pyrotechnics, GB), Mrs.
Christine Westermaier and Dr. R. Zimmermann (BVS, Dortmund).
We hope that the large number of people who remain unmentioned
will also feel that they share in this expression of thanks.
The authors also wish to thank the publishers, the WILEY-VCH Verlag
GmbH Company, and in particular Mrs. K. Sora, Mrs. R. Dötzer and
Mrs. D. Kleemann, for the most pleasant co-operation in the produc-
tion and printing of this book.
The publishers and authors continue to welcome suggestions and
communications of any kind. We hope that our book will remain an
important reference work and a quick source of information in this
edition as well.
Schardenberg,April2007 JosefKöhler AxelHomburg
From the preface of previous editions:
“Explosives” is a concise handbook covering the entire field of ex-
plosives. It was preceded by the booklet “Explosivstoffe” published in
1932 by WASAG, Berlin, and by the handbook of industrial and
military explosives published by WASAG-CHEMIE in 1961 under the
same name.
The book contains about 500 entries arranged in alphabetical order.
These include formulas and descriptions of about 120 explosive chem-
icals, about 60 additives, fuels, and oxidizing agents, and a 1500-entry
subject index.
The objective of the book is to provide fundamental information on the
subject of explosives not only to experts but also to the general public.
The book will therefore, apart from industrial companies and research
facilities concerned, be found useful in documentary centers, transla-
tion bureaus, editorial offices, patent and lawyer offices, and other
institutions of this nature.
The properties, manufacturing methods, and applications of each
substance are briefly described. In the case of key explosives and raw
materials, the standard purity specifications are also listed.
The asymmetric margins are provided for entries and marginal notes
of the reader.
Instructions for the thermodynamic calculations of the performance
parameters of high explosives, gun propellants, and rocket propellants
are given in somewhat greater detail. The basic thermodynamic data
will be found in the extensive synoptic tables. They are based on the
metric system; conversion from the English or the U.S. system can be
made using the conversion tables on the back flyleaf. The front flyleaf
contains a glossary of the terms denoting the characteristics of ex-
plosive materials in six languages.
The standard temperature selected for the energy of formation and
enthalpy of formation data is 25°C = 298.15K. The elementary form
of carbon was taken to be graphite (and not diamond, as before). The
numerical values of the energies of formation (which, as known,
appear both in the relevant entry and in the tables) are the optimum
molar values found in the enthalpy tables of Volk, Bathelt and Kuthe:
“Thermochemische Daten von Raketentreibstoffen, Treibladungspul-
vern sowie deren Komponenten”, published by the Institut für Chemi-
sche Technologie (ICT), D-76327 Pfinztal-Berghausen 1972.
The US experts in rocket-techniques* and the Institute of Makers of
Explosives** published glossaries on the definition and explanations of
technical terms. Parts of them have been incorporated in the text.
*Published as appendix 4 of the Aerospace Ordnance Handbook by Pollard,
F.B.and Arnold, J.H. Prentice Hall Inc., 1966
**Published as Publication No.12 by the Institute of Makers of Explosives.
From the preface of previous editions VIII
The book is not intended as a systematic presentation of the science
of explosives. Interested readers are referred to the many excellent
publications on the subject, which are available in English (see, for
example, the books by M.A. Cook) and the now nearly complete
encyclopedia covering the whole explosive field, edited by Seymour
M.Kaye (formerly by Basil T.Fedoroff†: “Encyclopedia of Explosives
and Related Items”). Users of explosives should consult the “Blaster’s
Handbook” of DU PONT Inc., which is by far the best book on the
subject.
A comprehensive list of literature references will be found at the end of
the book.
