Because there's only flamable stuff in it - gazoline, syrofoam and the onther petroleum derivatives won't burn, even less explode, if there isn't some source of oxygen to react with. What little air remains in the container won't be enough.

If you pack enough explosive to burst the container and spread the mix around you'll probably get a nice incendiary effect to add to the flying shrapnel, but it won't improve the explosion.

Ahh, that's a good point. It was the fumes in the idea I thought would light up, expand, and get the reaction going, I was under the impression that would do the trick from past "experiments" aka goofing off in the back yard with friends - we particularly had fun with tennis balls and paper match heads, along with the aforementioned closed containers with inch or two of fuel in the bottom and packing styrofoam soaked in it. While not the bang one guy was getting from breaking apart fireworks and putting them back together again, it did have a nice expanding fire ball and bits of the container flying everywhere as I recall. *shrug*

-- Thermobaric munitions have a different explosive profile than FAE. Thermobaric explosions are often a three-step process:

1. Metal particles combust (aluminum or magnesium)
2. Metal oxides cool.
3. Afterburn of fuel rich residue.

-- Most of the notable thermobaric munitions (like the RPO-A) weigh heavily on the "baric" part of thermbaric - damaging via blast overpressure and not the hot gasses.

Well, carbon dioxide (dissolved in flavored sugar water to make carbonated beverages) is a pretty crappy oxidizer, being pretty stable. I'd pressurize with another relatively easy to get oxidizing gas, such as nitrous oxide, oxygen or chlorine. As has been noted, you'll want a dispersal then detonation plus get the mixture right. I would have the character play around with various mixtures to get the right dispersal, for gasoline you'll want to be between 1.4% to 7.6% of the atmosphere if you're stopping by a local Hess station (see section 5).

How about hydrogen peroxide. Of course you'd need somethign a little more concentrated than the stuff you buy at a drugstore, but I seem to rmember that it acts as a pretty effective oxidizer, and it fizzes ever so nicely.

It does, its not too hard to get 30% hydrogen peroxide (drug store stuff is 3%), though it may react with what ever you're mixing it with. However being a liquid at RT might make it less effective than a dissolved gaseous oxidizer. Sadly all my chemistry books are packed up for the next few weeks. But definitely better than CO2.

In an upcoming campaign I am actually going to be a player instead of a GM. The character I am going to play has chemistry, armorer, and demolitions at respectable levels. And who needs C6 when you can mix industrial fertilizer, liquid rocket fuel, and the powder from disassembled flashbangs?

On the blowing up propane tanks thing. I just got Call of Duty 4 and found out that you can shoot the tanks all you want, they don't blow up. Although I do remember an episode of Burn Notice, I can't remember which episode exactly but I think it was season two, that blew up a propane tank. Michael duct-taped a can of something, maybe a lubricant like WD-40, to a propane tank. He said that if you penetrate the tank, you will just get a jet of cold gas, so he lit the lubricant on fire ala hairspray and lighter then shot the propane tank. Boom.

ANFO! Hooray!



First season, about three or four episodes in.

Actually I was going for Astrolite A.



Thanks.

Well, folks who are looking for a stable explosive with more bang per kg. Sometimes you need a backhoe, sometimes just a shovel will do just fine. It's all about having the most options.

C6 is convenient if you need it to fit in a small container or be easily moldable to a particular shape. ANFO or your homebrew of choice is convenient to get Astrolite A has some problems, though... namely the hydrazine component.

"Symptoms of acute (short-term) exposure to high levels of hydrazine may include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, dizziness, headache, nausea, pulmonary edema, seizures, coma in humans. Acute exposure can also damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. The liquid is corrosive and may produce dermatitis from skin contact in humans and animals. Effects to the lungs, liver, spleen, and thyroid have been reported in animals chronically exposed to hydrazine via inhalation. Increased incidences of lung, nasal cavity, and liver tumors have been observed in rodents exposed to hydrazine."

Also causes headaches and possession by the Prince of F***ing Darkness.

Wait, are you trying to convince me to use it or not?

I found a wicked fan-made drawing of Alice Cooper that I use as an example of why you don't mess with Free Spirits.

But, honestly, think about what it would be like to be possessed by Ozzy Osbourne.

Probably a lot like being stoned off your ass.

I've met the man before. He has 'minders' to keep him from wandering off. They watch him pretty closely for a reason.

I guess his old lifestyle kinda fried his brain a bit. Okay, probably a lot more than a bit.



-karma