China sets off massive non-nuclear hydrogen bomb, according to reports
Chinese researchers have conducted successful tests of a non-nuclear hydrogen bomb that creates a sustained fireball, significantly surpassing traditional explosives, according to the South China Morning Post. In an article published on Sunday,...
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Chinese researchers have conducted successful tests of a non-nuclear hydrogen bomb that creates a sustained fireball, significantly surpassing traditional explosives, according to the South China Morning Post.
In an article published on Sunday, the newspaper referenced a study by the researchers, which appeared last month in the Chinese-language Journal of Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles and Guidance. The team from the China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s 705 Research Institute, known for its work on underwater weapon systems, developed a 2kg bomb primarily made of magnesium hydride, with conventional explosives that act as the catalyst.
During a field test, the device generated a fireball reportedly reaching temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius, lasting for more than two seconds—a considerable duration compared to what an equivalent TNT explosion can achieve.
In this reaction, magnesium hydride, a compound initially designed for efficient fuel, quickly releases stored hydrogen gas, leading to a prolonged inferno.
The explosive device’s effectiveness derives not from its blast pressure but from its ability to produce extreme heat.
The South China Morning Post quoted CSSC research scientist Wang Xuefeng, who noted that the device's characteristics permit “precise control over blast intensity, easily achieving uniform destruction of targets across vast areas."
If fully realized, this approach could produce a weapon akin to napalm or a thermobaric device, which would be effective for demolishing defensive structures and armored vehicles.
Historically, the production of magnesium hydride has been limited in scale and complex, but recent advancements in China have led to the development of a more affordable and safer production method, along with the establishment of a plant capable of producing 150 tons of the compound annually.
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
In an article published on Sunday, the newspaper referenced a study by the researchers, which appeared last month in the Chinese-language Journal of Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles and Guidance. The team from the China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s 705 Research Institute, known for its work on underwater weapon systems, developed a 2kg bomb primarily made of magnesium hydride, with conventional explosives that act as the catalyst.
During a field test, the device generated a fireball reportedly reaching temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius, lasting for more than two seconds—a considerable duration compared to what an equivalent TNT explosion can achieve.
In this reaction, magnesium hydride, a compound initially designed for efficient fuel, quickly releases stored hydrogen gas, leading to a prolonged inferno.
The explosive device’s effectiveness derives not from its blast pressure but from its ability to produce extreme heat.
The South China Morning Post quoted CSSC research scientist Wang Xuefeng, who noted that the device's characteristics permit “precise control over blast intensity, easily achieving uniform destruction of targets across vast areas."
If fully realized, this approach could produce a weapon akin to napalm or a thermobaric device, which would be effective for demolishing defensive structures and armored vehicles.
Historically, the production of magnesium hydride has been limited in scale and complex, but recent advancements in China have led to the development of a more affordable and safer production method, along with the establishment of a plant capable of producing 150 tons of the compound annually.
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
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