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8722099 
Book/Book Chapter 
A review of peroxide based homemade explosives: Characterization and detection 
Espinosa-Fuentes, EA; Peña-Quevedo, AJ; Pacheco-Londoño, LC; Infante-Castillo, R; Hernández-Rivera, SP 
2011 
Nova Science Publishers, Inc. 
Explosive Materials: Classification, Composition and Properties 
259-282 
English 
Cyclic organic peroxides-based homemade explosives have been used to build weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East for several years. Increased terrorist activities, which use acetone peroxide and other cyclic organic peroxides as homemade explosives, have led to worldwide awareness by security and defense agencies. Development of methodologies for the detection of triacetone triperoxide (TATP), hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), tetramethylene diperoxide dicarbamide (TMDD) and other cyclic organic peroxides have become an urgent priority. Most organic peroxides are explosive, and some compounds can be easily synthesized by mixing common commercial products such as acetone, hydrogen peroxide and strong acids. Most of the current technology in use for trace detection of explosives is unable to detect these energetic compounds. Additionally, differences in physical properties between cyclic organic peroxides make the development of a general method for peroxide analysis and detection difficult. In this chapter, we review the most relevant contributions related to preparation, characterization and ambient pressure detection of the most important cyclic organic peroxides. Characterization analyses are coupled with theoretical calculations and the mechanisms of reaction for TATP, the most notorious cyclic organic peroxide. 2011 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.