Minol (explosive)

Minol (pronounced mine-ol) is a military

artillery shells) because there is a risk of detonation when subjected to over 250 gs of acceleration.^{[citation needed}

] Initially, three Minol formulas were used. All percentages shown are by weight:

Minol-1: 48%
TNT, 42% ammonium nitrate (AN) and 10% powdered aluminium

Minol-2: 40% TNT, 40% ammonium nitrate and 20% powdered aluminium

Minol-3: 42% TNT, 38% ammonium nitrate and 20% powdered aluminium [1]^: M136

These three Minols suffered from expansion, spewing and gassing due to the reaction of fine aluminium powder with moisture and structural phase transitions in ammonium nitrate. To improve stability of Minol and increase production, more coarse aluminium powder was introduced. Later it was found that aluminium chips, such as filings, flakes and shavings, also gave good performance and improved stability.^[1]^{: M136–M137}

To solve the problem with dimensional instability, pure ammonium nitrate was replaced by a solid solution of 10% of potassium nitrate in ammonium nitrate. Thus, a new formula was adopted:

Minol-4: 40% TNT, 36% ammonium nitrate, 4% potassium nitrate and 20% powdered aluminium^[2]^[1]^: M137

The addition of potassium nitrate minimized expansion of Minol, making it more stable to temperature changes than TNT, but didn't solve the expansion problem. Minol IV could still expand and develop cracks after prolonged

thermal cycling. A new composition, with 20% of potassium nitrate in solid solution, was developed. It didn't expand or crack even when cycled for months, but wasn't adopted for production and service.^[1]

^: M137

Since the 1950s, Minol has been superseded by more modern

obsolete. Generally, any Minol-filled munitions encountered will be in the form of legacy munitions or unexploded ordnance

dating from before the 1960s.

References

^
LCCN 61-61759
.

^ Boyars, Carl; Holden, James R.; Bertram, Albert L. (March 29, 1973). Minol IV, A New Explosive Composition Containing Ammonium Nitrate-Potassium Nitrate Solid Solution. Maryland: Naval Ordnance Laboratory.

This explosives-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[PATRv8-1] 
LCCN 61-61759
.

[2] Boyars, Carl; Holden, James R.; Bertram, Albert L. (March 29, 1973). Minol IV, A New Explosive Composition Containing Ammonium Nitrate-Potassium Nitrate Solid Solution. Maryland: Naval Ordnance Laboratory.

[1]

[2]

See also

References