Dear Explosives and Weapons Aficionados:

I have a bit of an unusual request. I am with a theatre company that is creating a play about a prison break. It’s a bit complicated to go into, but put simply, the plot calls for the prisoners (actors) to take hostage a prison tour group (the theatre audience) by using an explosive device. The device would automatically detonate if the person holding it dropped it.

We are (obviously) not looking to actually make said device, but we are looking for a reasonable sounding explanation for how the prisoners could have made an explosive out of materials one might find at a prison. Does anybody have any ideas?

• At least one of the prisoners has extensive chemistry knowledge (unlike any of us—that’s why we’re asking this question).
• They can have been preparing their escape for a year or two, so novel solutions requiring months to finish are possible (e.g. gradually scraping metal shavings off of their furniture, intentionally decomposing something over time, etc).
• It’s a “progressive” prison, so if it helps, assume they can have access to things which might be slightly unusual at most prisons—i.e. art workshops (if, for instance, paint chemicals could be useful), greenhouse gardens, even chickens (manure perhaps?).
• The explosive device needs to have been made by the prisoners in full view of surveillance cameras, pretending to do something else. Perhaps making an art project in art therapy class, or cultivating their personal garden, or taking a shower, etc.
• We don’t actually want any in-depth information—just a general plan which a lay audience would find plausible.

So, does anybody happen to have any thoughts?

Thanks to any and all who reply!

Hmmmmmm, interesting plot.

I think the easiest explosive would be ANFO (Amonium Nitrate & Fuel Oil). The Amonium Nitrate could come from the prison hospital. I imagine the prison hospital would have a few "Instant Cold Packs" on hand, the kind where you pop an internal "bubble" and the pack gets cold. The pack contains Amonium Nitrate in uncoated prill form that absorbs the liquid in the bubble when broken. So there is the source for the Amonium Nitrate.

I'm sure the prison has a Diesel engine buss or other vehicle in the motor pool so there is the source for the Fuel Oil (#2 Diesel). So there you have the basic explosive material, then just combine it with some pipe from the maintainance shop and you have a good old "pipe bomb".

The next problem is you need a "detonator" to set off the ANFO "bomb" and AP (Acetone Peroxcide) is the next canadate for a detonator or as the explosive itself. Acetone is a solvent and "could" be found in the maintainance shop or in paint supplies as a cleaner. Peroxcide "could" be found in the prison hospital and the last chemical you'ed need is Sulfuric Acid which is found in many "drain cleaners" so back to the maintainance shop.

So there you have 2 possible canadates for an explosive whose chemicals "might" be found in a prison. I'd try for the AP since it doesn't need a detonator, but AP in quantity is really touchy stuff. As far as mixing it up in a prison goes, every prison has "blind spots" where cameras don't see and guards aren't around all the time, so you don't need to come up with a way for them to mix it up in plain view.

Read up a little on both explosives and choose the one or both you want to use.

As you didn’t follow the rules you could get banned, but I personally don’t think nbk will because your post isn’t the usual "How d0 I mak Da BoMz?!?!?!" post k3wLs get banned for.

The rules say that you should do a search before posting (you probably wouldn’t be able to single the right explosive out from a search), and contribute something before making a request (having little knowledge in the forum you probably wouldn’t have anything to contribute).

the last chemical you'ed need is Sulfuric Acid which is found in many "drain cleaners" so back to the maintainance shop.
As a catalyst.

For AP many other catalyst’s can be used other than sulfuric acid, which would probably be more likely to be found in the prison, eg. Hydrochloric acid, citric acid (I think), but that’s only if it was needed to be made quickly.

AP actually doesn’t need a catalyst, it would just take days or weeks for the explosive to form.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) could be found as lots of products: In-wash bleach, cleaning product, pool chemical and probably more.

Another source of ammonium nitrate could be as a fertilizer, some fertilizers are almost pure AN.

The acetone could also come from, nail polish remover or evaporating and condensing the fumes of white out (liquid paper) or permanent markers, although that would get a bit far fetched.

Instead of ANFO you could use APAN (acetone peroxide + ammonium nitrate), or even ANSOY (ammonium nitrate + soy oil).

If it needs to be detonated from impact, you could use AP (sensitive, left acidic), or “Armstrong’s mix” to set off the AP.

Armstrong’s mix is a mixture of a chlorate (in the coating of match heads), and red phosphorus (on match pads).

It used to be playing cards were made from nitrocellulose. I remember a story where a prison inmate used a few decks to make an explosive device.

Since this theatrical, don't put too much thought into the "how" as you would the end result. A bottle of gasoline with a 9 volt battery igniter... Perhaps a reactive drug nicked from the infirmary that detonates on contact... This is called a two component explosive mixture, and they are fairly common. Tip the drug too far (setting it down say) and it mixes with the gasoline… boom!

I think the most plausible, and easily understood explosive for the audience, would be good 'ol powdered match heads.

If a prisoner could get a hold of perhaps 10-15 boxes of wooden matches, then the chemicals on the head could be fairly easily scraped off and powdered finely.

I have played around with powdered strike-anywhere match heads, and can honestly say they are more powerful than the best black powder I could make ever was.

A steel capped pipe packed with 'match dust' would be the most plausible explosive, in my opinion.

Matches are prohibited in all the prisons I've been in.

Lighters are more commonly allowed.

Butane FAE in a plastic garbage bag with crushed misch metal incendiary (powdered lighter flint) would be technically feasible.

If these are fairly resourceful convicts, you'd think they'd be able to smuggle in some matches, no?