Ammonal
Ammonal is a binary high explosive composed of ammonium nitrate as the primary oxidizer and finely powdered aluminum as the fuel, typically blended in a mass ratio of around 95:5 to achieve detonation velocities exceeding 4,000 m/s.[1]
This non-ideal explosive, characterized by its sensitivity to confinement and flow divergence during detonation, produces enhanced brisance and heat output from the aluminum's combustion, making it suitable for applications requiring powerful fragmentation and cratering effects.[2][1]
Originally formulated in the early 1900s for commercial blasting in mining and quarrying—where its lower cost relative to TNT offered economic advantages—Ammonal gained military prominence during World War I, when the British Army employed it in massive underground charges to undermine German positions.[3][2]
Notable deployments included the 18.5-ton Ammonal charge at Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt during the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916, which formed a crater over 30 meters deep but inadvertently alerted defenders due to premature visible venting; and larger mines at the Battle of Messines in 1917, where charges up to 45 tons contributed to seismic shocks registering on instruments in Switzerland.[3][4]
Postwar, its use declined with the rise of safer, more stable alternatives like ANFO, though variants persist in specialized demolition and research contexts owing to their tunable energy release.[5][6]