Detasheet is a flexible rubberized explosive, somewhat similar to plastic explosives, originally manufactured by DuPont. Its ingredients are PETN with nitrocellulose and a binder.[1]
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It was manufactured in thin flexible sheets with a rubbery texture, technically known as a rubberized explosives and is generally coloured either reddish/orange (commercial) or green (military). In use, it is typically cut to shape for precision engineering charges.
Compared to other explosives detasheet is very stable. It is detonated with a blasting cap or primercord but not by small-arms fire, heat, water, pressure, or concussion. Detasheet is relatively expensive compared to other explosives.
Detasheet C, the last and most common version produced, was made up of 63% PETN, 8% Nitrocellulose, and 29% ATBC, an organic plasticizer.
DuPont ceased manufacturing explosives in the 1990s and the trade mark is now owned by Ensign-Bickford Aerospace and Defense Company, the company now selling a very similar explosive sheet called Primasheet.
A military variant of Detasheet, called Deta Flex, was manufactured in a single thickness (0.25 inch / 6.25 mm) and olive green colored. Deta Flex contains a higher percentage of PETN (70%).
A version of Deta Flex is manufactured for Department of Energy research purposes, colored blue and manufactured in various thicknesses. LX-02-1 contains 73.5% PETN, 17.6% Butyl Rubber, 6.9% ATBC, and 2.0% Cab-o-sil.