Plastic explosive

A malleable high explosive made from energetic compounds combined with a binder and plasticizer. Its consistency allows it to be shaped before detonation.

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High explosive: An explosive that decomposes through a supersonic shock wave called a detonation. Plastic explosives belong to this class because their energetic material can detonate rather than merely burn.
Chapman–Jouguet condition: A condition describing the state of reaction products at the end of an idealized detonation wave. It is used to characterize detonation behavior in energetic materials.
Nobel 808: A plastic explosive developed in Britain during the Second World War. It was an early military plastic explosive and a precursor to later formulations.
Military demolition: The controlled destruction of structures or equipment using explosive charges in military operations. Malleable charges can be fitted to surfaces in authorized demolition work.
Dynamite: An explosive material historically based on nitroglycerin absorbed into an inert porous substance. Unlike plastic explosive, dynamite is typically a molded or packaged material rather than a hand-malleable putty.
Detonation: A supersonic reaction front sustained by a shock wave moving through an explosive. This is the rapid energy-release process that plastic explosives are designed to undergo.
Detonation velocity: The speed at which a detonation wave travels through an explosive. It is one measure of the performance of a plastic explosive formulation.
Composition C-4: A military plastic explosive formulation containing RDX and a polymeric binder system. It is a widely recognized example of a plastic explosive.
Explosive ordnance disposal: The detection, identification, evaluation, and disposal of explosive hazards by trained specialists. Specialists address plastic explosives found in military and civilian settings.
Blasting gelatin: A gelatinous high explosive made by combining nitroglycerin with a nitrated cellulose material. It is a cohesive explosive gel, but its formulation and handling differ from plastic explosives.