What is the main ingrediant to c4 explosives?

Answer 1

C-4 (composition 4) is one of the popular plastic explosive(explosive chemical mix with plastic binder). It has 2 important advantages:

1. The explosive material which coated with plastic binder will make it less sensitive to heat and shock. Since it is stabilized, it is relatively safe to handle C-4. Only detonator or blasting cap can trigger the reaction. Lighting the C-4 with a match will just make it burn slowly, like a piece of wood. (In Vietnam, soldiers actually burn C-4 as an improvised cooking fire.) Even shooting the explosive with rifle won't trigger the reaction.
2. C-4 material is highly flexible. It can be molded into different shapes to change the direction of the explosion.

Explosive material in C-4 is cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine (royal demolition explosive / RDX). Cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine was first prepared in 1899 from nitric acid and methenamine by Henning. The flow chart below (Please refer to reference below) shows the synthesis method uses methenamine (hexamethylenetetramine).

Besides the method above, cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine can also be synthesized from formaldehyde, ammonium nitrate and acetic anhydride. (Method developed by Ross and Schiessler' in 1940's)

Normally, C-4 is made up of explosives, plastic binder, plasticizer and, usually, marker or taggant chemicals such as 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMDNB) to help detect the explosive and identify its source. In 2004, Kenneth E. Lee discovered a reformulation of composition C-4 explosive for superior energetic performance and flexibility. (US Patent: 6887324)

Reference:

How C4 explosive is made. Life Chemistry. Retrieved June 20, 2008, from

http://life-chemistry.blogspot.com/search/label/Explosive

Answer 2

C4 is not a compound, but is a mixture of compounds. It consists of an explosive (RDX)- about 91%. The rest is a plastic binder, plasticizer, a taggant to make it detectable, and a small amount of motor oil.

The link below will take you to an article on RDX that shows the chemical structure. For anyone considering trying to MAKE their own C4- it is far more involved than simply mixing the components- and is EXTREMELY hazardous to attempt.

Answer 3

The main ingredient in C4 explosives is RDX (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine), a powerful explosive compound. It is mixed with other substances such as plastic binder and plasticizer to form the final C4 explosive material.

Answer 4

C4's main ingredient (which is mostly the explosive) is the explosive called RDX. The other "main" ingredient is a plastic binder to coat and contain it.

Answer 5

C4 is short for Compound 4, and is the current U.S. standard plastic explosive.

Answer 6

The letter C annd the number 4

An explosive called RDX. The rest is is just a mixture of a plastic binder that protects and contains the explosive.