A polymer-bonded explosive, also called PBX or plastic-bonded explosive, is an explosive material in which explosive powder is bound together in a matrix using small quantities (typically 5–10% by weight) of a synthetic polymer ("plastic"). Note that despite the word "plastic", polymer-bonded explosives are not hand malleable after curing, and hence are not a form of plastic explosive. PBX was first developed in 1952 in Los Alamos National Laboratory, as RDX embedded in polystyrene with dioctyl phthalate plasticizer. HMX compositions with teflon-based binders were developed in 1960s and 1970s for gun shells and for lunar seismic experiments. PBXs are normally used for explosive materials that are not easily melted into a cast, or are otherwise difficult to form.
Read more about Polymer-bonded Explosive: Potential Advantages, Insults (potential Explosive Inhibitors), Some Example PBXs
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