Chinese researchers have successfully conducted a controlled field test of a non-nuclear hydrogen-based explosive device that released powerful chemical chain reactions, the South China Morning Post reported Sunday.
According to the study, the 2-kilogram hydrogen bomb created a fireball with a temperature above 1,000 degrees Celsius and sustained it for more than two seconds. The duration of the explosion was 15 times longer than that of a TNT blast of comparable strength, achieved without using any nuclear materials.
The device was developed by China's state-owned shipbuilding corporation, a key player in underwater weapons development. It utilizes a solid-state hydrogen storage material based on magnesium to achieve the explosive effect. According to the study published in the Chinese Journal of Missiles and Guidance, when the material is triggered using conventional explosives, it undergoes rapid thermal decomposition, releasing hydrogen gas that ignites into a sustained high-temperature fireball.
"Hydrogen gas explosions ignite with minimal ignition energy, have a wide blast radius, and release flames that spread rapidly outward and laterally," the study states. "This combination allows for precise control of blast intensity and enables uniform destruction of targets over large areas."
The study noted that the hydrogen bomb can inflict prolonged thermal damage due to its intense fireball, which is capable of melting aluminum alloys. In comparison, TNT explosions typically produce a flash that lasts only about 0.12 seconds.
