Tannerite Explosion

Ryan Kohler shows off a Tannerite explosion.

Tannerite is the brand name of a binary explosive marketed primarily for making exploding targets for firearms practice. It is a patented combination of ammonium nitrate (an oxidizer) and aluminum powder (a fuel) that is supplied as two separate powders which are mixed and shaken to produce the explosive. The combined explosive is relatively stable when subjected to less severe forces than a high-velocity bullet impact, such as a hammer blow, being dropped, or impact from a low-velocity bullet or shotgun blast. It is also not flammable – an explosion cannot be created by a burning fuse or electricity. Because it is sold as two separate powders rather than as the combined mixture, it is even more stable when sold, and can be transported and sold in many places without the legal restrictions that would otherwise apply to explosives. Tannerite is the most well-known brand of such a product – to the degree that sometimes such combination explosives are generically referred to as Tannerite, although other brands exist on the market.