TYPE OF AGENT – Incendiary

NAME (COMMON) – Thermit, Thermite, Iron Thermite

TYPE OF MATERIAL – Chemical mixture

DATE OF DISCOVERY – 1895

PHYSICAL STATE @ 20° C. – Solid

COMPOSITION – 76% Ferric oxide, 24% Finely powdered or granular Aluminum percentages by weight, an additional 4% by weight of celluloid binder

IGNITION POINT – 660° C. (1,220° F.)

BURNING TEMPERATURE – 2,200° C. (3,992° F.)

SOLID DENSITY – 4.3 g/cc

BURNING CHARACTERISTICS – Burns with a brilliant, volcanic flame spraying sparks of molten iron, creates a puddle of molten iron

USE – Filler for incendiary munitions

     Thermite is an intense burning agent that releases a great deal of energy. As the filling for incendiary munitions, it would easily ignite most flammable materials. The intense nature of the Thermite burn would not easily spread throughout an area, so often there were additional flammable materials needed to continue the fire. The  extreme heat and flow of molten iron from burning Thermite could be used to destroy equipment by literally welding steel components together.