Martin Coats is a graduate engineer at BAE. Here’s how he got his start
EXPLOSIVE REACTIONS
Explosions work because of complex chemical reactions that rapidly produce large quantities of gas. Take TNT, which is one of the oldest explosive materials. Its scientific name is 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and this explosive works by changing solid materials into a hot, expanding gas in an aggressive thermodynamic reaction. Its reaction produces carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and TNT’s explosive nature doesn’t just come from its pure energy output – it’s the incredible speed at which it detonates, too.
Another popular explosive, RDX, is called cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine and is produced by the nitrolysis of hexamine with nitric acid. BAE has also developed a substance called IMX-101, and the US Army uses this instead of TNT in its incendiary munitions. It’s safer to store and handle, but just as effective. No matter the material, safety is paramount when handling explosives, which is why companies like BAE take so much time to get things right when building the latest bombs.