Plastic explosives

Plastic explosive is a softer solid form of explosive material. In the field of explosives engineering, plastic explosives are sometimes known as putty explosives.^[1]

C-4 plastic explosive (the barely white rectangle blocks) being used to destroy unexploded fighting parts.

Plastic explosives are mostly used for explosive destruction. Common plastic explosives include Semtex and C-4.^[2] The first made plastic explosive was gelignite in 1875, created by Alfred Nobel.^[3]

Types

Composition C

The British used a plastic explosive during World War II for destruction.^[4] The material was plastic between 0 and 40 degrees C, but was breakable when colder and more liquid-like when it's very hot. Composition C2 had a bigger temperature range at which it would stay as plastic, from −30 to 52 degrees C. Composition C2 was replaced by Composition C3, which was a mixture of 77% RDX and 23% explosive plasticizer.^{[5]: 8–109} C3 worked very well but proved to be too breakable in cold weather and was replaced with C4. There are three classes of C4, with differing amounts of RDX and polyisobutylene.^{[5]: 8–111}

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  A 1.25 lb destruction charge of C4 explosive
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  A soldier makes a charge of C4 to cut through solid steel at a destructions range