A New Form of Explosive

A Los Alamos scientist has come up with a new for of explosive. It is a less toxic, cleaner, and less expensive then the traditional lead azide and lead styphnate primary explosive. This new explosive will have far reaching use from sports ammunition to military explosives.

"The replacement of lead azide is an extremely challenging task," said C.A. Pfleegor, an engineering division director in the Naval Surface Warfare Center. "It has become a holy grail of energetic materials research."

The article does make this seem to be a big deal. Massive amounts of explosives are manufactured all around the world. Even if this new form of explosive is a little less expensive the savings could be very large. So maybe we will see this change happen before to long.

www.forbes.com...

This is indeed good news. One step towards a cleaner, greener world?

Now all they have to do is get cracking on a replacement for depleted uranium in munitions, as that is alot more toxic and dangerous.

Yes that will be one benifit. I just dont really know how long it will take the factories to ramp up to retooling to start makeing them that way. Still it is good that they will be changeing over some time.

Originally posted by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
This is indeed good news. One step towards a cleaner, greener world?

Now all they have to do is get cracking on a replacement for depleted uranium in munitions, as that is alot more toxic and dangerous.

Tungsten?

Originally posted by PBscientist
Tungsten?

Comes close but it does not have some of the properties that DU has when it comes to penetration ability.