ABSTRACT
The use of incendiary mixtures in warfare can be traced back to ancient times, when fireballs provided an effective means of assaulting well-fortified castles or wooden ships. The so-called “Greek fire” was an incendiary weapon originally employed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century and thought to consist of a petroleum base with possibly sulfur, potassium nitrate, and/or other resins. A variety of terms are used for materials that either ignite or provide a delay period between ignition of a device and the production of the main explosive or pyrotechnic effect. Compositions with high ignition temperatures can be difficult to ignite using solely the “spit” from a black powder fuse or similar mild ignition stimulus. The shattering effect from an over-energetic ignition composition can cause the surface one is trying to light to crumble or scatter and thus yield ignition failures.
