How are explosives manufactured without exploding? e.g grenades, c4
In: Technology
Secondary explosives like TNT or RDX are relatively stable and can be handled, stored, and even melted without much issue.
Primary explosives however (those used to initiate detonation in a secondary explosives) need to be handled and manufactured in very specialized and controlled conditions, since friction, shock, and heat can set them off. What these conditions are depends on the explosive being manufactured.
In a lot of cases, processing is done in a “wet” state, where the explosive compound is dissolved or mixed with a solvent. This lessens their sensitivity during manufacturing. Drying off the solvent returns the explosive to its sensitive state. Tools and containers for processing/handling the explosive compounds are usually made of soft materials like wood or rubber. For stuff like nitroglycerin, the ingredients are kept cold during mixing, and forced air nozzles are used instead of mechanical stirrers.
Generally in all cases, the explosives have to be made in small batches at a time to lessen the risk of accidental detonation.
EDIT: I just consulted my copy of “The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives”, and there is an interesting subsection on how detonators for dynamite were made in the early days.
A rectangular rubber mat placed behind a concrete barrier is used to mix small batches of mercury fulminate and potassium chlorate powder together. Wires attached to the corners of the rubber mat to allow them to be manipulated by a worker at a distant. By repeatedly lifting and lowering the corners, the ingredients on the mat are thoroughly mixed together.
The mixed explosive powder is then carefully pour into a rubber bowl, and carried to another location to be filled into caps. Note, the book then states that the powder loaded into the caps are then subject to a pressure of 2900 psi by a press with a wooden rod to compact it.
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