China successfully tests non-nuclear hydrogen explosive

Chinese scientists have successfully conducted a field test of a hydrogen-based explosive device that unleashes intense chemical chain reactions without the use of any nuclear materials.

The device, weighing 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds), produced a fireball exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit) that lasted for over two seconds—15 times longer than a comparable TNT explosion—demonstrating unprecedented thermal intensity without radioactive components, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

Developed by the 705 Research Institute under the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), a key developer of underwater weapons systems, the device relies on a magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage material. 

The compound, magnesium hydride, is a silvery powder originally intended for off-grid hydrogen fuel supply. It offers a significantly higher hydrogen storage capacity than conventional pressurized tanks and was designed to support clean energy initiatives. However, researchers have now adapted it for military applications. 

In a peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles and Guidance, the scientists detailed how the material, when triggered by conventional explosives, undergoes rapid thermal decomposition. This process releases hydrogen gas that ignites into a sustained inferno. 

"Hydrogen gas explosions ignite with minimal ignition energy, have a broad explosion range, and unleash flames that race outward rapidly while spreading widely," said the research team, led by CSSC scientist Wang Xuefeng.

"This combination allows precise control over blast intensity, easily achieving uniform destruction of targets across vast areas." 

According to the paper, the intense and long-lasting heat of the hydrogen-based fireball—sufficient to melt aluminum alloys—makes it a powerful tool for extended thermal damage. 

The explosion's duration vastly exceeds the 0.12-second flash typical of TNT, giving it directed energy potential. Wang and his team conducted a series of tests demonstrating the weapon’s potential for precision and scalability in future combat scenarios.

By Naila Huseynova