A paper published in the Chinese-language magazine Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles and Guidance details China’s successful test of a non-nuclear hydrogen-based explosive device. Developed by the 705 Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the 2 kg device used a solid-state hydrogen storage material to create a fireball exceeding 1,000°C that lasted over two seconds (15 times longer than TNT) and with enough heat to melt aluminum.
The material used is magnesium hydride, a silvery powder that can store much more hydrogen per volume than any tank. When activated by conventional explosives, the magnesium hydride rapidly decomposed, releasing hydrogen gas that ignited into a sustained inferno, South China Morning Post reports today. While the explosion had less blast pressure than an equivalent mass of TNT, the temperatures were hotter and lasted longer.
With a new facility in Shaanxi now producing 150 tonnes of magnesium hydride annually, this energy-dense material may soon see other applications, such as fuel storage for submarines or drones.
