China tests new type of hydrogen bomb to bridge the gap between conventional explosives and nuclear weapons.

As reported by the South China Morning Post on April 20, 2025, China has conducted a field test of a non-nuclear hydrogen-based explosive device developed by the 705 Research Institute of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). The test involved a 2-kilogram device that used a magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage material. It produced a fireball exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius that lasted for over two seconds, 15 times longer than an equivalent TNT explosion. According to a peer-reviewed paper published in a Chinese scientific journal, the explosion was achieved without the use of nuclear materials.
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The device demonstrated a peak overpressure approximately 40 percent of what is typically generated by TNT, but with a significantly larger heat projection radius. (Picture source: 705 Research Institute)

The explosive utilizes magnesium hydride, a metallic powder capable of storing more hydrogen than pressurized tanks. Originally designed to supply hydrogen for off-grid fuel cells, this material undergoes rapid thermal decomposition when triggered by conventional explosives, releasing hydrogen gas. Upon mixing with ambient air, the gas ignites, generating a prolonged thermal event. The process involves the mechanical fracturing of magnesium hydride into micron-scale particles, which exposes fresh surfaces and accelerates hydrogen release. The resulting combustion leads to further decomposition in a self-sustaining cycle until the fuel is exhausted. The device demonstrated a peak overpressure of 428.43 kilopascals at a distance of two meters, approximately 40 percent of what is typically generated by TNT, but with a significantly larger heat projection radius.

Although the CSSC hydrogen-based device contains no nuclear materials and does not rely on fusion or fission reactions, its designation as a "hydrogen bomb" arises from the use of hydrogen as the primary energetic medium. The distinction between non-nuclear hydrogen explosions and thermonuclear weapons is critical: the former depends on chemical reactions, while the latter relies on fusion initiated by a fission device. The paper does not specify under what conditions the People’s Liberation Army might deploy the hydrogen-based device tested by CSSC, and no official operational doctrine has been publicly linked to the system.

The origin of the magnesium hydride used in the test was not disclosed in the paper, though the scale of material use implies industrial-level production. Until recently, magnesium hydride could only be produced in limited quantities under laboratory conditions, due to the high temperature and pressure required for synthesis, and the risk of accidental explosions when exposed to air during the process. In early 2025, China commissioned a new magnesium hydride production plant in Shaanxi province, operated by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics. The plant is capable of producing up to 150 tonnes annually using a “one-pot synthesis” method, which reportedly reduces production costs. The scalability of magnesium hydride production further supports the feasibility of integrating this technology into various delivery systems, including missiles, torpedoes, and aerial bombs.​

In fact, the scientific team, led by Wang Xuefeng, reported that hydrogen explosions can ignite with low energy and propagate flames rapidly over wide areas. Their research suggests the device can deliver extended thermal damage, including the ability to melt materials such as aluminium alloys. The authors reportedly also examined potential military applications, including using the weapon to apply intense heat over large areas or to focus the effect on specific targets. The test confirmed the potential for directed energy usage by demonstrating sustained thermal emissions exceeding those of traditional explosives.

Although the CSSC hydrogen-based device contains no nuclear materials and does not rely on fusion or fission reactions, its designation as a "hydrogen bomb" arises from the use of hydrogen as the primary energetic medium. (Picture source: 705 Research Institute)

In potential future conflicts, particularly scenarios involving Taiwan, we can imagine that this type of weapon could be employed to target both land and maritime assets. On land, its intense and sustained heat could compromise underground facilities, disrupt command centers, or incapacitate personnel within fortified positions. At sea, while the blast pressure is lower than conventional explosives, the prolonged thermal effect could damage the flight decks of aircraft carriers, degrade electronic systems, or ignite fuel stores, potentially impairing operational capabilities. The weapon's non-nuclear nature allows for deployment without breaching international nuclear treaties, offering a strategic option for exerting pressure without escalating to nuclear conflict.​

The hydrogen storage material used in the test is also being explored for other applications, such as submarine fuel cells and long-endurance power systems for unmanned aerial vehicles. CSSC’s 705 Research Institute, which conducted the test, was established in 1992 and specializes in underwater weapon systems and complex casting processes. It maintains laboratories and branches in Kunming and Shanghai, with expertise spanning systems engineering, automatic control, computer technology, and mechanical and electronic engineering. The institute employs over 170 individuals, more than 100 of whom hold college degrees. Approximately 50 employees are active researchers, including 23 senior engineers.

Hydrogen explosions, as studied across various scientific and engineering fields, occur when hydrogen gas forms mixtures with air within flammable concentration ranges (typically 4.0% to 75.6% by volume). These mixtures can ignite with minimal energy, and the explosion type, deflagration, detonation, or deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT), depends on mixing conditions, confinement, and the ignition source. Deflagration involves subsonic flame propagation, while detonation results from supersonic shockwaves and more rapid heat release. DDT may occur in confined or obstructed environments where turbulent mixing accelerates the transition from deflagration to detonation.

Numerous safety studies have shown that hydrogen’s low ignition energy and wide flammability limits pose significant explosion hazards. Research into hydrogen-air cloud deflagration and detonation highlights the risk of overpressure waves, thermal radiation, and flame propagation. For example, hydrogen cloud detonations can produce blast overpressure several times higher than deflagrations at the same concentration. In confined environments, these effects can lead to structural failure. Several explosion prediction models, including the TNT equivalent method and the Baker-Strehlow-Tang model, have been developed, though their accuracy varies due to differences between hydrogen-air explosions and conventional explosives.