China tests non-nuclear hydrogen bomb

Chinese scientists have successfully tested a non-nuclear hydrogen bomb amid the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLAs) push towards cleaner energy solutions. The move comes amid the US’ increasing defence support to Taiwan, and China’s quest for dominance in the South China Sea.

According to a report in South China Morning Post, the explosive device, weighing 2 kilograms, was developed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSSC) 705 Research Institute, which is known for its work in underwater weapon systems. Unlike traditional nuclear bombs, this device uses a magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage material known as magnesium hydride, which is capable of storing more hydrogen than pressurised tanks.

Once activated, the magnesium hydride undergoes rapid thermal decomposition, releasing hydrogen gas that ignites into a sustained fireball exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius for over two seconds—15 times longer than equivalent TNT blasts. This combustion results in extensive thermal damage, sufficient to melt aluminum alloys, and allows for precise control over blast intensity, achieving uniform destruction across vast areas.

How did China test the bomb?

According to a paper published in the Chinese-language Journal of Projectiles, Rockets, Missiles and Guidance, the test involved a series of experiments demonstrating the weapon’s directed energy potential. Under controlled detonation, peak overpressure reached 428.43 kilopascals at two meters from the bomb. This was roughly 40 per cent as strong as a comparable TNT explosion, but the heat it unleashed reached far beyond what TNT can achieve.