Chemistry of Military Pyrotechnics

Authored by a preeminent authority on the subject from the NATO Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center, this is the first book in 30 years to detail the progress that has been made in the field. Comprehensive in its coverage, the book describes the chemistry of all important groups of pyrotechnic compositions in use in military applications, with a special focus on particular materials, such as blackpowder, spontaneously reactive materials, and nanopyrotechnics. The author discusses current formulation trends and emphasizes the underlying chemistry and physics so as to elucidate the effects and provide a rationale for developing novel formulations. In addition, he looks at safety, sensitivities, and health issues relating to pyrotechnics. Chapters on environmentally-friendly compositions, molecular pyrotechnics, and sensitivity round off the text. While concentrating on military applications, this monograph will prove equally useful to the civilian pyrotechnic and aerospace industries. See more