Oxadiazole has a calculated detonation pressure 50 percent higher than that of TNT. Source: LANLOxadiazole has a calculated detonation pressure 50 percent higher than that of TNT. Source: LANLScientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in Aberdeen, Maryland, have found a less toxic explosive material as a potential replacement for trinitrotoluene (TNT) in various munitions.

TNT has been in use as a munitions explosive since 1902, but the Environmental Protection Agency lists it as a possible carcinogen and exposure to it is a possible cause of blood disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

"The Army and the Laboratory, through the Joint Munitions Program, have been looking for a TNT replacement," said David Chavez, an explosives chemist at Los Alamos. "Something with non- or low-toxicity that has the right melting point so it can be liquefied and cast, for use in a variety of munitions."

Finding an alternative that surpasses the explosive energy of TNT, has the right melt-casting capabilities and can produce a high enough yield presented a number of obstacles, according to Chavez. After decades of working at Los Alamos to find high-nitrogen explosive compounds that meet these criteria, Chavez, along with Jesse Sabatini and colleagues at Aberdeen, have come up with bis-oxadiazole, a nitrogen-containing compound. This 24-atom molecule has high amounts of nitrogen and performance 50 percent greater than TNT. The full chemical name is bis(1,2,4-oxadiazole)bis(methylene)dinitrate.

Further research will be done as initial production of the material begins, including extensive explosive testing and toxicity studies.

The research was published in the American Chemical Society's journal, Organic Process Research & Development.