Ammonal

Ammonal is an explosive material composed of ammonium nitrate and powdered aluminum. The proportion of ingredients can vary, but a common composition is around 80-95% ammonium nitrate and 5-20% aluminum powder.

Ammonal's primary advantage over pure ammonium nitrate explosives like ANFO (ammonium nitrate fuel oil) is its significantly higher brisance, or shattering power. The aluminum powder reacts exothermically, increasing the heat and pressure of the detonation, resulting in a more powerful explosion for a given weight.

The addition of aluminum also makes ammonal more oxygen-balanced than ANFO, which can improve its performance in confined spaces. However, the presence of aluminum can also make it more sensitive to initiation and more prone to deflagration under certain conditions.

Ammonal has been used in various applications, including mining, quarrying, demolition, and in some military contexts, although it has largely been superseded by more modern high explosives. Its cost-effectiveness and availability of ingredients contributed to its widespread use, particularly in situations where high brisance was required. The effectiveness of ammonal is highly dependent on the particle size and purity of the aluminum powder used, as well as the homogeneity of the mixture.

Ammonal should be handled with extreme caution due to its explosive properties and potential for accidental detonation.