U.S. Army Purchases Large Quantity of Powdered Sugar
The U.S. Army's Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas has ordered 29.5 metric tons of powdered sugar, prompting curiosity about its intended use.
According to Task & Purpose, the powdered sugar will be used to manufacture M18 and M83 smoke grenades and M8 smoke cartridges, which require a fuel that burns quickly and produces a large volume of smoke.
Powdered sugar is an excellent fuel for pyrotechnic mixtures, as it is mixed with a powerful oxidizer, such as potassium nitrate, to generate dense smoke rapidly when ignited.
- Powdered sugar is chosen for its fine particles, which have a larger surface area compared to crystalline sugar.
- The mixture of powdered sugar and oxidizer does not explode, but instead produces a large volume of smoke.
Author's summary: The U.S. Army buys 30 tons of powdered sugar for smoke grenades.