EXPLOSIVE BOOSTER
An explosive booster actually transfers energy from a low energy explosive to a high energy explosive. It increases the energy of an initiating explosive to a limit upto trigger the secondary charge.
Unlike C4 plastic explosive, not all explosives can be detonated simply by inserting a detonator and firing it.
An initiator such as shock tube, cannon fuse does not deliver sufficient shock to detonate charges comprising TNT, Composition B, ANFO and many other high explosives. Therefore, some form of "booster" is required to upgrade the energy released by the detonator so that the main charge will detonate.
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For booster charges tetry was once very popular, exactly during World War II, but has been largely superseded by other compositions e.g. a small cylinder of pure RDX or PETN into which the detonator itself is inserted.
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