Plastic explosive (or plastique) is a specialised form of explosive material. They are soft and hand malleable and may have the added benefit of being usable over a wider temperature range than the pure explosive. Plastic explosives are especially suited for explosive demolition as they can be easily formed into the best shapes for cutting structural members, and have a high enough velocity of detonation and density for metal cutting work. They are generally not used for ordinary blasting as they tend to be significantly more expensive than other materials that perform just as well in that field. Also, when an explosive is bound in a plastique, its power is generally lower than when it is pure. Explosive material - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... A massive crane is used to demolish this tower block in northern England Demolition is the opposite of construction: the tearing-down of buildings and other structures. ... The velocity of detonation of an explosion is the rate at which the detonation/combustion wave travels through the explosive product. ... Density (symbol: ρ - Greek: rho) is a measure of mass per unit of volume. ...

One of the earliest plastic explosives was Nobel 808, developed well before World War II and used extensively by British SOE forces during that war. It is also the explosive used in HESH anti-tank shells. During and just after World War II a number of new RDX based explosives were developed, including Compositions C, C2, and eventually C3. Together with RDX these incorporated various plasticisers to decrease sensitivity and make the composition plastic. Nobel 808, a plastic explosive that looks like green Plasticine with a distinctive smell of almonds. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The Special Operations Executive (SOE), often called the Baker Street Irregulars after Sherlock Holmess fictional group of spies, was a World War II organisation initiated by Winston Churchill in July of 1940 as a mechanism for conducting warfare by means other than direct military engagement. ... High explosive squash head, also known as HESH or HEP (in US usage, for high-explosive, plastic), rounds are a type of anti-tank explosive. ... Anti-tank, or simply AT, refers to any method of combating military armored fighting vehicles, notably tanks. ... Cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, also known as RDX, cyclonite, or hexogen, is an nitroamine and explosive material widely used by the military. ...

C3 was very effective but proved to be too brittle in cold weather. In the sixties it was replaced by C4, also using RDX but with polyisobutylene and di(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate as the binder and plasticizer. C4 or Composition C4 is a common variety of military plastic explosive. ...

Semtex was also developed in the 1960s by Stanislav Brebera by mixing of RDX with PETN and then adding binders and stabilizers. Semtex is a general-purpose plastic explosive. ... PETN (Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate, also known as Penthrite) is one of the strongest known high explosives, with a relative effectiveness factor (R.E. factor) of 1. ...

Varieties of plastic explosive in current use include C4, PENO, Primasheet and Semtex. C4 or Composition C4 is a common variety of military plastic explosive. ... Semtex is a general-purpose plastic explosive. ...

Plastic explosive is commonly used by engineers and combat engineers. The most common commercial use of plastic explosives is for hardening high manganese percentage steel. This material is typically used for train rail components and earth digging implements. Some terrorist groups have also used plastic explosives, especially Semtex. An engineer may be someone who practices the engineering profession, or the driver of a rail locomotive. ... A US army combat engineer setting up a communications cable. ... Terrorism is a controversial term with multiple definitions. ... Semtex is a general-purpose plastic explosive. ...

Compare to Polymer-bonded explosive. A polymer-bonded explosive, also called PBX or plastic-bonded explosive, is an explosive material in which particles of explosive are set into a matrix of a synthetic polymer (plastic). Polymer-bonded explosives have several potential advantages: If the polymer matrix is an elastomer (rubbery material), it tends to absorb...

The origin of the US term plastique is due to the plastic explosive introduced to the US by the British in 1940. The samples of explosive brought to the USA by the Tizard Mission had been packaged by SOE ready for dropping to the French Resistance and were labelled in French, as Explosif Plastique. The French Resistance is the name used for resistance movements that fought military occupation of France by Nazi Germany and the resulting Vichy France during World War II after France surrendered in 1940. ...