FDK Ammo Basic

Not connected to its chemical structure, but describes the physical characteristics of the material during its intended chemical reaction: its related to the Velocity of Detonation (VD)

High Explosives

• capable of detonating when properly initiated;
• Even when improperly initiated, high explosives can undergo a Deflagration to Detonation Transition DDT

Low Explosives

• does not detonate;
• slower than the speed of sound;
• may burn;
• explode when defined
• generally associated with propellants

Primary High Explosives

Only Explosives which decompose rapidly by low thermal or mechanical energy and can cause secondary explosives to detonate.

• Very sensitive
• less poerful than seconary explosives
• first chemical element of the explosive train
• easily initiated by heat, shock friction ESD
• Lead Azide most common primary explosive in military fuzing and TATP

Secondary High Explosives

• much more safe to handle
• Often used as active/main Charges for projectiles, bombs and mines
• Relatively insensitive, lower impact and friction sensitivity, need more activation energy 
• Have much higher energy content and work capacity
• Depense of the amount of energy, if it will combust, deflagrate or detonate

Picric Acid / Trinitrophenol (7350 m/s)

• Yellow cristals, very toxic
• Main danger comes from acidity (picric acid rects with metals and forms exremely sensitive picrate salts

TNT / Trinitrotoluol / Trotyl (6900 m/s)

• oldest and most used explosive worldwide
• pretty insensitive to shock and friction, very good stability
• starts to melt above 80°C

Tetryl / Trinitrophenymethylnitramine (7850 m/s)

• yellow
• significantly more power than TNT, but also significantly more sensitive
• most used as booster charge

PETN / Penta / Nitropenta (8400 m/s)

• TNT equivalent of 1.7
• most sensitive secondary explosive in use - used in det cord
• in mixed form with plastic, it becomes mouldable (Plastit)

RDX / Hexogen (8750 m/s)

• highest VD available for military use
• often mixed, then less sensitive
• HEAT warheads and shaped charge liner

HMX / Octogen (High Velocity Military Explosive 9100 m/s)

• often mixed with TNT = OCTOL
• RUS = OKFOL (5% wax)

• Can be very sensitive to friction, impact, heat and electro-static energy.
• Can be used as a propellant, safety fuze, delay pellet, expelling charge...
• vary from slow burning to strong deflagration, depending on the grain size

Deflagration to Detonation Transition (DDT)

• is starting the chemical reaction because of an external energy source (spark, flamemechanical influence)
• The increasing gas pressure accelerate the combustion velocity - deflagration - pressure waves
• if pressure waves still rises - velocity of the waves will reach speed of sound - shockwave with stable detonation velocity

Shock to Detonation Transition (SDT)

• induced by an intense external shock wave
• intense mechanical inpact = punctual exeedance of the specific impact sensitivity
  (penetration by a high velocity projectile)
• Detonation of an adjoining explosive charge = direct contact shock wave propagation
  (blasting cap..)
• Detonation of an explosive charge nearby = across-gap shock wave propagation
  (ammunition storage facility)

Sympathetic Detonation ist the transition of the detonation impulse from one charge to another

High Order

• Filler functions as designed, producing a full detonation with maximm potential and shockwave
• Frags with razor sharp edges

Low Order

• With inadequate initiation, the filler does not reach its maximum energetic potential, resultin in a full or partial deflagration
• Frags with dull edges