): The most common military primary, preferred for its stability under loading and excellent initiation ability. Lead Styphnate ( C6HN3O8Pbcap C sub 6 cap H cap N sub 3 cap O sub 8 cap P b
For over a century, primary explosives have been dominated by heavy metal compounds, primarily mercury and lead. Mercury Fulminate (
): Frequently used in percussion primers due to its high sensitivity to fire and electrostatic discharge. 3. The "Holy Grail": Green Primary Explosives Primary Explosives
A heavy-metal-free compound, though it sometimes suffers from poor performance in extreme cold.
A prominent candidate designed to be a "drop-in" replacement for lead azide, offering comparable performance without the toxicity. ): The most common military primary, preferred for
Crushing a metal primer cup by a firing pin, electrostatic spark, or flash heat.
Lead azide can react with atmospheric CO2CO sub 2 Crushing a metal primer cup by a firing
Initiate less sensitive secondary explosives, which are safer to handle but hard to light. 2. Legacy Primary Explosives