China’s hydrogen bomb test yields fireball lasting 15 times longer than TNT’s: Study | World News

Chinese researchers have tested a hydrogen-based explosive that produces a white-hot fireball lasting over two seconds—15 times longer than a conventional TNT blast—without using any nuclear material, a recent scientific study has revealed as per South China Morning Post.
The 2-kilogram device was detonated during a controlled field test and reached temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius, according to a paper published in the Journal of Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles and Guidance. The device was developed the 705 Research Institute under the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), a key player in underwater weapons technology.
The science behind
The bomb’s sustained thermal effect stems from its use of magnesium hydride, a silvery powder that acts as a solid-state hydrogen storage material. Originally designed to power fuel cells in off-grid areas, magnesium hydride releases hydrogen gas when exposed to heat, enabling an extended exothermic reaction when ignited.
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“Hydrogen gas explosions ignite with minimal ignition energy, have a broad explosion range, and unleash flames that race outward rapidly while spreading widely,” said lead researcher Wang Xuefeng and his team in the paper. “This combination allows precise control over blast intensity, easily achieving uniform destruction of targets across vast areas.”

When triggered conventional explosives, the magnesium hydride decomposes thermally, releasing hydrogen that rapidly mixes with air. Once it reaches the lower explosive limit, the gas ignites, creating a self-sustaining combustion cycle until the fuel is exhausted.
Despite generating only about 40% of TNT’s blast force—measured at 428.43 kilopascals two metres from the detonation point—the weapon demonstrated a far greater thermal damage radius, the researchers noted. Its heat output was strong enough to melt materials such as aluminium alloys.
The study did not specify the exact military deployment plans for the weapon but explored potential uses in covering wide areas with intense heat or directing energy toward high-value targets. The origin of the large quantity of magnesium hydride used in the test was also not disclosed.Story continues below this ad

Until recently, magnesium hydride production was limited due to high costs and safety challenges. However, earlier this year, China launched a production facility in Shaanxi province capable of manufacturing up to 150 tonnes annually, using a safer, low-cost “one-pot synthesis” process developed the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics.
Beyond weaponry, the technology is being explored for military fuel cells in submarines and drones with long operational endurance.
(With inputs from South China Morning Post)
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