This article will cover the production of plastic explosives of the type
'C-2' and 'C-3'. These are highly undesirable because of certain trait each
has and they don't produce as much power as 'C' and 'C-4' compounds.
It is not recamended you make these two types of plastique, this article was written for imformatative purposes only. (Just so you can act like you know what you are doing).
Composition 'C-2' is harder to make than 'C-4' and is TOXIC TO HANDLE. It
is also unstable in storage and is poor choice for home explosive manufature.
It also has a lower detonation velocity than either 'C-4' or 'C-3'.
It is manufactured in a steam jacketed (heated) melting kettle using the
same procedure used in incorperation of 'C-3'. Its composition is as follows:
R.D.X................. 80%
(Equal parts of them following:)
Mononitrotolulene
Dinitrotolulene
T.N.T. guncotton
Dimethylformide......... 20%
(See Below for rest of recipe)
'C-3' was developed to eliminate the undesirable aspects of 'C-2'. It was
standardized and adopted by the military as following composition:
R.D.X................ 77%
Mononitrotolulene.... 16%
Dinitrotolulene...... 5%
Tetryl............... 1%
T.N.T. guncotton..... 1%
'C-3' is manufactured by mixing the plastisizing agent in a steam jacketed
melting kettle equipped with a mechanical stirring attachment. The kettle is
heated to 90-100 degrees Celcius and the stirrer is activated. Water wet
R.D.X. is added to the plastisizing agent and the stirring is continued until a
uniform mixture is obtained and all water has been driven off. Remove the heat
source but continue to stir the mixture until it has cooled to room
temperature.
This explosive is as sensitive to impact as is T.N.T. Storage at 65
degrees Celcius for four months at a relative humidity of 95% does not impair
it's explosive properties.
'C-3' is 133% as good as an explosive as good as an explsive as is T.N.T.
The major drawback of 'C-3' is its volatility which causes it to lose 1.2% of
its weight although the explosives detonation properties are not affected.
Water does not affect explosives preformance. It therefore is very good
for under-water demolition uses and would be a good choice for such an
aplication.
When stored at 77 degrees Celcius considerable extrudation takes place. It
will become hard at -29 degrees Celcius and is hard to detonate at this
tempurature.
While this explosive is not unduely toxic, it should be handled with care
as it contains aryl-nitro compounds which are absorbed through the skin.
It will reliably take detonation from a #6 blasting cap but the use of a
booster is always suggested. This explosive has a great blast effect and was
still is avaliable in standard demolition blocks.
Its detonation velocity is approximately 7700 M/second.