What is the most powerful chemical explosive?
One of the most powerful explosive chemicals known to us is PETN, which contains nitro groups which are similar to that in TNT and the nitroglycerin in dynamite. But the presence of more of these nitro groups means it explodes with more power.
Why is Octanitrocubane such a high energy molecule?
Octanitrocubane is thought to have 20–25% greater performance than HMX (octogen). This increase in power is due to its highly expansive breakdown into CO2 and N2, as well as to the presence of strained chemical bonds in the molecule which have stored potential energy.
What explosive has the highest detonation velocity?
EPX-1
EPX-1 has the highest detonation velocity of all the studied plastic explosives. The calculated detonation pressure and heat of detonation of EPX-1 are in the same level of Semtex 10 and higher than the rest of the studied plastic explosives.
Is dynamite or TNT stronger?
You may see some explosives labeled “TNT” that look like dynamite. TNT stands for trinitrotoluene, which is also an explosive but quite different from dynamite. Dynamite is actually much more powerful than TNT.
What is the molecular formula for octanitrocubane?
Infobox references. Octanitrocubane (molecular formula: C 8(NO 2) 8) is a high explosive that, like TNT, is shock-insensitive (not readily detonated by shock).
Is it possible to make octanitrocubane in the laboratory?
Small amounts have been synthesized in the laboratory, but not enough for performance testing as an explosive.
What makes a cubane explosive an octanitrocubane?
A cubane with a nitro group on each carbon is called octanitrocubane. Several factors are important in making a good explosive. The decomposition must be energetic. In cubane derivitives, the strain energy ensures a very energetic decomposition. The number of molecules that result should be large.
Which is more powerful HMX or octanitrocubane?
Octanitrocubane is thought to have 20–25% greater performance than HMX (octogen). This increase in power is due to its highly expansive breakdown into CO 2 and N 2, as well as to the presence of strained chemical bonds in the molecule which have stored potential energy.
