TYPE OF AGENT – Incendiary

NAME (COMMON) – TEA, Triethylaluminum

TYPE OF MATERIAL – Chemical compound

DATE OF DISCOVERY – 1954

MOLECULAR FORMULA – (C₂H₅)₃Al

MOLECULAR WEIGHT – 114.2 g/mol

PHYSICAL STATE @ 20° C. – Liquid

IGNITION POINT – Ignites on contact with air

FREEZING/MELTING POINT – -46° C. (-51° F.)

BOILING POINT – 187° C. (368° F.)

BURNING TEMPERATURE – 760 to 1,204° C. (1,400 to 2,200° F.)

LIQUID DENSITY – 0.835 g/cc

BURNING CHARACTERISTICS – Ignites spontaneously in air with a brilliant white flame creating dense Aluminum oxide smoke, reacts violently on contact with water releasing flammable gas

USE – Filling for incendiary munitions, Igniters

     This is the primary incendiary filler for the M74 66mm rocket. The rocket warhead is filled TPH (Thickened Pyrophoric Agent) that has a composition of 94% Triethylaluminum thickened with 6% Polyisobutaline. The mixture was developed in 1966 and is spread, but not ignited, by a small bursting fuze. The TPA agent ignites spontaneously on contact with air.