High Blast Explosive, or HBX, is an explosive used as a bursting charge in missile warheads, mines, depth bombs, depth charges, and torpedoes.
History
It was developed during World War II as a desensitized modification of
Torpex
Torpex is a secondary explosive, 50% more powerful than TNT by mass. Torpex comprises 42% RDX, 40% TNT and 18% powdered aluminium. It was used in the Second World War from late 1942, at which time some used the names Torpex and RDX interchange ...
explosives.
[ "Ordnance Technical Data Sheet U.S. BOMB, 325-350-LB, DEPTH BOMB, MK 54/MK 54 Mod 1"]
Properties
It is an aluminized (powdered aluminum) explosive having the same order of sensitivity as
Composition B
Composition B, colloquially Comp B, is an explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT. It is used as the main explosive filling in artillery projectiles, rockets, land mines, hand grenades and various other munitions. It was also ...
.
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
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
, and that it is about the same order as Composition B.
"U.S. Explosive Ordnance, OP 1664, 1947"
A difficulty with HBX is that it produces gas and builds up pressure in the case during stowage. It was discovered that adding calcium chloride to the mixture will absorb all the moisture and eliminate the production of gas.
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:
"MIL-E-22267 Rev. A"
* HBX-1
* HBX-3
* H-6
References
Explosives
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