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Science/Tech See other Science/Tech Articles Title: China Tests Novel Non-Nuclear Hydrogen Bomb - Generates Intense Fireball Chinese scientists successfully detonated a powerful and innovative non- nuclear hydrogen-based bomb that produced an enduring, intensely-hot fireball, the South China Morning Post reported on Sunday, citing a research paper describing the experiment. The new technology centers on the use of magnesium hydride (MgH2), a white or silvery crystalline powder that's capable of storing an outsize amount of hydrogen. The material and its extraordinary solid-state storage potential originally piqued scientists' interest for a peaceful purpose: transporting hydrogen to off-grid locations for use generating clean energy and heat by way of fuel cells. Magnesium hydride's storage capacity is far superior to pressurized tanks, SCMP explains. The material is also of interest to scientists in the field of spacecraft propulsion. Naturally, scientists recognized that densely-packed hydrogen offers extraordinary explosive potential, and set out to build explosive devices to measure the destructive force. China's pioneering evaluation started small, with a test bomb weighing just 4.4 pounds (2kg). The resulting fireball impressed researchers, producing heat exceeding 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 Celsius). More importantly, the fireball lasted more than two seconds, which is 15 times longer than a comparably-scaled TNT explosion. No nuclear materials were involved. A Chinese magnesium hydride test-bomb awaits detonation (705 Research Institute via South China Morning Post) The test bomb was produced by the the 705 Research Institute, a subsidiary operation of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). Among its many scientific endeavors, the 705 Research Institute is a leading force in China's development of underwater weapon systems. However, the bomb test was conducted on land and SCMP's summary of the paper didn't address any naval-kinetic-warfare implications; however, magnesium hydride is being eyed for possible use in submarine fuel cells. The peer-reviewed paper on the innovative bomb appeared in the Chinese-language Journal of Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles and Guidance. “Hydrogen gas explosions ignite with minimal ignition energy, have a broad explosion range, and unleash flames that race outward rapidly while spreading widely,” the research team in a peer-reviewed paper published by the Chinese-language Journal of Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles and Guidance. “This combination allows precise control over blast intensity, easily achieving uniform destruction of targets across vast areas.” In addition to that use, the 705 Research Institute's scientists also evaluated the bomb's potential use in confined attacks on high-value targets. The fireball from China's new magnesium hydride bomb endured 15 times longer than a comparable TNT explosion, researchers say (705 Research Institute via South China Morning Post) Producing magnesium hydride is no easy feat, as the process of binding of hydrogen and magnesium necessitates high pressures and high temperatures. If air manages to infiltrate the production chamber, the facility and its workers could be incinerated in the blink of an eye. Given the demands, it can take a laboratory a full day just to generate a few grams. Now, however, China is shifting magnesium hydride production from the micro-scale of laboratories to the industrial scale of a factory in the Shaanxi province in the country's northwest. Aiming to pump out a jaw- dropping 150 tons per year, the plant is the work of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics. It completed its one-year pilot phase on January 10. China's new plant in Shaanxi province aims to produce 150 tons of magnesium hydride per year (CUI Yajun and CAO Hujun via Chinese Academy of Sciences) For our more science-oriented ZeroHedge readers, here are more details on China's magnesium hydride bomb test: Under constrained detonation, peak overpressure reached 428.43 kilopascals at two metres (6ft 7in) from the bomb – about 40 per cent of TNT’s blast force, but with a far greater heat projection range... The chain reaction begins when detonation shock waves fracture magnesium hydride into micron-scale particles, exposing fresh surfaces, according to the study. Thermal decomposition rapidly releases hydrogen gas, which mixes with ambient air. Upon reaching the lower explosive limit, the mixture ignites, triggering exothermic combustion.This liberated heat further propagates magnesium hydride decomposition, creating a self- sustaining loop until fuel exhaustion – a synergistic cascading of mechanical fracturing, hydrogen release, and thermal feedback -- SCMP How long until our military-industrial complex is pointing to the Chinese magnesium-hydride menace to help justify Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth's fever dreams of a trillion-dollar military budget? Poster Comment: Russia has something superior called the Oreshnik MIRV. It has 36 submunitions that dig deep holes into the earth and incinerate eerything at 4,000 degrees C or 7,232 degerees F. Russia has been making one of these a day for the past 90 days just in case NATO comes calling. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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