OPHORITE.—A mild but hot explosive consisting of—
| Potassium perchlorate | 60 |
| Magnesium powder | 40 |
It is used as a bursting charge for incendiary shell, smoke bombs, etc.
ORKANIT is the same as [Alkalsit], but may contain sodium chloride and similar salts.
OXYLIQUIT is a blasting explosive consisting of liquid oxygen absorbed in some porous combustile material, such as absorbent cork, soot or kieselguhr mixed with petroleum. It was discovered in 1895 by Prof. F. C. Linde, and was tried on a large scale in 1899 in the construction of the Simplon tunnel. It is very cheap, and is safe in the case of a missfire, because in about half-an-hour the oxygen has all evaporated off and the charge becomes inexplosive. On the other hand, it is necessary to have the air liquefying plant near the scene of operations, and the charge must be fired soon after charging. These disadvantages prevented the adoption of the explosive, but during the War fresh trials were made in Germany in consequence of the scarcity of nitrates.
Liquid oxygen explosives are now used on a considerable scale by the Germans for military, as well as civil blasting operations. The name Oxyliquit, however, seems only to be applied to them when the explosive is made in the manner and with the plant of the Linde Company. See also [Marsit].
PANCLASTITE.—A Sprengel explosive made by mixing liquid nitrogen peroxide with carbon bisulphide, nitro-benzene or nitro-toluene. It was proposed in 1881 by Turpin, and was tried by Germany for filling shell, the two constituents being contained in separate glass containers, which were broken by the shock of discharge. It was not adopted there on account of the inconvenience of dealing with a liquid which gives off poisonous fumes. It is a powerful and violent explosive, and is probably the same as the “[Turpinite]” about which sensational statements were made in the press early in the War.
PANNONIT.—A blasting explosive made by the A. G. Dynamit Nobel of Austria. It has replaced [Progressit] in Austria as a coal-mine explosive. Its composition is—
| Nitroglycerine | 25·5 |
| Collodion cotton | 1·5 |
| Ammonium nitrate | 37 |
| Dextrin | 4 |
| Glycerine | 3 |
| Nitro-toluene | 5 |
| Sodium or potassium chloride | 24 |
PASTANIL.—A German ammonium nitrate blasting explosive similar to [Plastammon].