PETN

In mixtures

PETN is used in a number of compositions. It is a major ingredient of the Semtexplastic explosive. It is also used as a component of pentolite, a castable mixture with TNT (usually 50/50 but may contain more TNT), which is, along with pure PETN, a common explosive for boosters for the blasting work (as in mining). The XTX8003 extrudable explosive, used in the W68 and W76 nuclear warheads, is a mixture of 80% PETN and 20% of Sylgard 182, a silicone rubber. It is often phlegmatized by addition of 5–40% of wax, or by polymers (producing polymer-bonded explosives); in this form it is used in some cannon shells up to 30 mm caliber, though it is unsuitable for higher calibers. It is also used as a component of some gun propellants and solid rocket propellants. Nonphlegmatized PETN is stored and handled with approximately 10% water content. PETN alone cannot be cast as it explosively decomposes slightly above its melting point, but it can be mixed with other explosives to form castable mixtures.