What is c4. What is C4 explosive? Physical and chemical characteristics

Military purpose. In Russian the name is usually used in the forms B-four And si-for.

Additional Information

• During the Vietnam War, many American soldiers used small quantities C-4 for warming up rations on long raids. Although soldiers used this method quite safely, there were several stories of soldiers trying to extinguish C-4 by stomping on the flame and causing an explosion (burning explosives in a closed or semi-enclosed space increases pressure, accelerates combustion and leads to an explosion with a much greater more likely than burning in open space, but the Mythbusters (17th episode of season 9) failed to detonate S-4 either with blows or with thermite).

• C-4 was used in the finals of the professional wrestling tournament "King of the Death match" in 1995 in Japan. Tournament winner Mick Foley suffered 2nd degree burns.

• Since the 1990s, composition C-4 (and other plastic explosives) in Russian began to be often called plastid or plastid C-4. This name is especially often used to hide correct information about the composition and characteristics of explosive devices used for illegal actions (terrorist attacks). The term "Plastids" is used in biology to refer to the elements of a cell.

• C-4 is initially odorless. But so that dogs can detect it, special chemical markers are used. In most cases, C-4 smells like almonds.

C-4 in popular culture

• The clear use and action of S-4 can be seen in almost any episode of the Stargate series (where one of the characters even called the squad’s backup “Plan B” “Plan C”), as well as in many other Hollywood action films.
• In games with military and paramilitary themes: Point Blank, CrossFire, Grand Theft Auto, series Battlefield, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, etc., often in the form of bars with remote detonators.
• The Russian rock band Lumen has a song “C-4”

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See what "C-4 (explosive)" is in other dictionaries:

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C-4 in the United States, a type of plastic explosive for military use. In Russian the name is usually used in the forms “ B-four" And " si-for”.

This formulation was developed in the 1960s as an improvement on the formulation used in World War 2, which consisted of RDX, mineral oil and lecithin and was similar to plastic explosives. C-4 is part of a group designated C, which also includes formulations C2 and C3, which contain varying amounts of RDX.

It is sometimes stated that the designation "C" stands for composition, and the composition name is an abbreviation for Composition 4. However, this is incorrect, the term composition was used for any stable explosive composition, and there were explosives named "Composition A" and "Composition B". So the correct name for C-4 is Composition C-4.

Compound

The C-4 includes:

• RDX (91%)
• polymer binder - polyisobutylene (2.1%)
• plasticizer - di-(2-ethylhexyl)-sebacate or dioctyl sebacate (5.3%)
• motor oil specification SAE 10 (1.6%)

In addition, a chemical tag (eg 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane) is now added to the composition to determine the type of explosive and its origin. C-4 is 91% RDX, 2.25% Vistanex, 5.31% dioctyl sebacate and 1.44% liquid lubricant.

Properties

Compound C-4 widely known for its ductility. It can fill gaps in buildings and structures and take any desired shape. Besides, C-4 known for its reliability and stability. For example, setting fire C-4 leads to slow combustion of explosives (about the same as during the combustion of wood). Impact sensitivity - 48 cm (TNT 90–100 cm) for a load of 2 kg. However, the experience of “MythBusters” has shown that in reality even a drop of a 41 kg load onto a C4 charge from a distance of 91 cm and a direct hit from rifle bullets from a reasonably close distance do not lead to an explosion. A reliable way to cause an explosion is to use an electric detonator or blasting cap.

When the reaction starts S-4 disintegrates, releasing various gases (mainly oxides of carbon and nitrogen). The initial expansion speed of gases is 8500 meters per second. To an outside observer, the explosion occurs almost instantly.

In fact, the explosion has two phases. The initial expansion causes most of the damage. It also creates an area of ​​low pressure near the center - the gases move so fast that there are almost no gases left near the center. In the second phase, the gases move back into the partial vacuum region, creating a second wave directed inward.

A couple of standard military C-4 (M112) blocks, weighing half a kilogram each, are enough to blow up a truck. Explosive technicians usually use larger quantities C-4. For example, to destroy steel beam 20 centimeters thick, they use approximately 3.5–4.5 kilograms C-4.

Application

C-4 is used for a variety of destructive tasks. The explosive is mainly used by the military to blow up structures - explosives fill cracks to blow up heavy walls. S-4 is also widely used as a weapon to kill personnel in combat or terrorist attacks. For example, during the Vietnam War, soldiers used the M18A1 Claymore mine. This mine consists of a C-4 block and striking elements in the form of steel balls and rollers.

Due to its stability and superior lethality, the C-4 is used by terrorists and guerrillas around the world. Small amounts of C-4 can cause great destruction, and C-4 is odorless and easy to smuggle. Despite the fact that the main producer of C-4 is the United States, where trade is strictly controlled, there are many sources of similar C-4 explosives (for example, Iran). So, given its relative availability, S-4 currently remains one of the main weapons of terrorists.

Additional Information:

• During the Vietnam War, many American soldiers used small quantities of C-4 to heat rations on long raids. Although soldiers used this method quite safely, there were several stories of soldiers trying to extinguish C-4 by stomping on the flame and causing an explosion (burning explosives in a closed or semi-enclosed space increases pressure, accelerates combustion and leads to an explosion with a much greater more likely than burning in open space, but the Mythbusters (episode 175 of season 9) failed to detonate S-4 either with blows or with thermite).

• The C-4 was used in the finals of the professional wrestling tournament "King of the Death match" in 1995 in Japan. Tournament winner Mick Foley suffered 2nd degree burns.

• Since the 1990s, composition C-4 (and other plastic explosives) in Russian began to be often called plastid or plastid C-4. This name is especially often used to hide correct information about the composition and characteristics of explosive devices used for illegal actions (terrorist attacks). The term "Plastids" is used in biology to refer to the elements of a cell.

• C-4 is initially odorless. But so that dogs can detect it, special chemical markers are used. In most cases, C-4 smells like almonds.

S-4 (composition 4), one of the variants of plastite - the so-called “plastic explosive”. The name comes from the plastic qualities of this explosive, which resembles plasticine in consistency.

The C-4 was developed for the needs of the US Army, used primarily for demolition work and for the destruction of unexploded ordnance. Thanks to its properties that allow plasticite to be sculpted into almost any shape, C-4 is much more convenient to use than conventional explosives, such as TNT (TNT).

Unfortunately, this same property, coupled with its high power, makes it attractive to terrorists. Plasticite produced by the Czech company Semtex (intended for mining and blasting work) is especially popular among terrorists, firstly because it is relatively easily available - for example, through a front company that can purchase it for “blasting work”, and secondly because - lack of odor, which makes it much more difficult to detect by specially trained dogs, for example at airports. However, in order for dogs to detect it, special chemical markers are used. In most cases, C-4 smells like almonds. In fact, plastit is plasticized RDX (cyclonite, hexogen); American-made C-4 contains 90 percent hexogen mixed with various substances that actually give it plasticity (so-called plasticizers).

Composition C-4 is widely known for its ductility. It can fill gaps in buildings and structures and take any desired shape. Additionally, the C-4 is known for its reliability and stability. For example, igniting C-4 leads to slow combustion of explosives (about the same as when burning wood). Even when firing bullets at S-4, there will be no explosion. Impact sensitivity - 48 cm (TNT 90–100 cm) for a load of 2 kg. However, experience from the show “MythBusters” showed that falling a load even weighing 41 kg from a distance of 91 cm does not lead to an explosion. A reliable way to cause an explosion is to use an electric detonator or blasting cap.

At the same time, there is no need to talk about any monstrous power of S-4 compared to other conventional explosives. Moreover, if hexogen is 25% more powerful than TNT, then C-4 is “only” 18%.

Characteristics of S-4

Detonation speed: about 8000 meters/sec
Density: 1.63 grams/cm3
Composition: 90% hexogen, 10% plasticizing agents (such as ceresin, paraffin, etc.)
White color
TNT equivalent: 118% (one kilogram of S-4 in terms of explosion power is equal to 1.18 kg of TNT)
Shelf life: at least 10 years
Cost for bulk purchases: about $20 per kilogram (cost information may be out of date or inaccurate).