ANAl (amonium nitrate:aluminum)

[kbk]

i did a search on this and found nothing, so i figured i would start this thread. all i really know about ANAl is that it is composed of amonium nitrate and aluminum and that it is not fuse sensitive. information on ratios, and anything else would be appreciated. thanks in advance..

[Cyclonite]

AL is more of an additive, AN needs some sort of fuel like NM :D or some FuelOil. I would only mess with AL with AN after you get ANFO or ANNM to work.

[t3sla_trooper]

Explosives containing ammonium nitrate and aluminium are called "Ammonal" , some types also contain charcoal or manganese dioxide

[Bozmann]

I was wondering what mesh the AL need to be for sensetizing AN

[simply RED]

I recently found some Al powder of extreme purity (no oxides) and very fine particles. Little silicon oil was added to it to remain untouched from the O2 in the air...
Mixed with AN it burned like flash powder (very seldom burning stops) in quantities 20-30%Al.
It will detonate or deflagrate in steel pipe (fuse initiated) , in both ways turning it to scrapnels.
The AN mixtures are whole science, one really needs to start with ANFO, ANFOAL or ANNM and then more complicated things.

[Bozmann]

I was wondering what mesh AL is needed for at 90/10 mix of ANAL to be cap sensetive?
Is it possible to use homemade Aluminium powder?

[Boomer]

If you can make it airfloat (or at least 600 mesh) you can use your own. Just filing a block of alu down and adding AN will do shit.

If properly prepared, and at the right density (not packed too hard), ammonal is cap sensitive. But don't expect AP in a straw to work without APAN booster, a military compound cap (or commercial #10) is called for. A #8 might work, but I would not risk a failure.

BTW better call it ammonal, not ANAL. If you add oil to protect the Al from oxidation, you will end up with anal grease! :D

[Bert]

BTW better call it ammonal, not ANAL.

Believe me, it was HARD not to make the obvious jokes...

The original French ammonal was AN, Al and stearine as I recall. They compacted it hydraulically into munitions, so high density wasn't a problem with a sufficient booster in an artillery shell, apparently. The Tannerite targets definitely don't work reliably unless freshly mixed and loosely packed, low density loading is very necessary with slight confinement and low initiation impulses.

[Bozmann]

Ok, thanks guys! I just read on the apcforum that someone made a 200g AN charge using 90/10 AL an that he detonated it with a 6 cap.

[Cordtex]

Bozmann:
COPE page 368.
one composition which is named in the book as German I: AN 54%, TNT 30%, Al 16%.
another one, Ammonal II: AN 72%, TNT 12%, Al 16
finally, French Ammonal: AN 86%, Al 8%, stearic acid 6%.

[tomu]

There was one Ammonal-Explosive called Ammonal B which consisted of AN >90%, Al-powder and charcoal each around 3-4 %. All the other Ammonal formulae contained up to 30% TNT.

To be capsensitive (#6) the AN must be finely powdered or activated/phasechanged and the bulk - loading density must be below 0,80 g/cm3.