Semtex

A general-purpose plastic explosive. First made by the Semtin Glassworks (now VCHZ Synthesia) in Czechoslovakia. Used in commerical blasting and demolition and in certain military applications. Its noteriety is due to its popularity with terrorists. There are two common varities of which Semtex-H is the most widely used:

	Semtex H	Semtex A
PETN?	49.8%	94.3%
RDX	50.2%	5.7%
Dye	Sudan I (red-orange)	Sudan IV
Antioxidant	N-phenyl-2-naphthalamine	same
Plasticizer	n-octyl phthalate butyl citrate	same
Binder	styrene-butadiene rubber	same

Both now have ethylene glycol dinitrate added to produce a distinctive odour to aid detection.