Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
High Blast Explosive
Type of explosive From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
High Blast Explosive, or HBX, is an explosive used as a bursting charge in missile warheads, mines, depth bombs, depth charges, and torpedoes.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2009) |
History
It was developed during World War II as a desensitized modification of Torpex explosives.[1]
Properties
It is an aluminized (powdered aluminum) explosive having the same order of sensitivity as Composition B.[1]
Tests indicate that it is about 98% to 100% as powerful as Torpex, that it is definitely less sensitive than Torpex in both laboratory impact and bullet impact, that it is slightly more sensitive in these respects than TNT, and that it is about the same order as Composition B.[2]
A difficulty with HBX is that water slowly reacts with aluminium powder and produces hydrogen gas, building up pressure in the case during storage. It was discovered that adding calcium chloride to the mixture will absorb all the moisture and eliminate the gassing.[2]
Remove ads
Composition
There are three types of HBX explosives: HBX-1, HBX-3, and H-6. Below is each type's "Grade A" composition based on weight:[3]
- HBX-1
- HBX-3
- H-6
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads