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Exploding wire method
open-in-new
<p>The exploding wire method or EWM is a way to generate <a href="/facts/Plasma_(physics)/1d3btMVU">plasma</a> that consists of sending a strong enough pulse of <a href="/facts/Electric_current/Dc1xdnUX">electric current</a> through a thin <a href="/facts/Wire/yyy05H1S">wire</a> of some <a href="/facts/Electric_conductivity/akyCKvMy">electrically conductive</a> material. The <a href="/facts/Joule_heating/eANEHVzP">resistive heating</a> vaporizes the wire, and an <a href="/facts/Electric_arc/1hUPPAG0">electric arc</a> through that vapor creates an <a href="/facts/Explosion/Utp8Wv9D">explosive</a> <a href="/facts/Shockwave/CqrG1Xm5">shockwave</a>. </p><p>Exploding wires are used as <a href="/facts/Detonator/SoXrXl08">detonators</a> for <a href="/facts/Explosives/sUme5Pp8">explosives</a>, as momentary high intensity light sources, and in the production of metal <a href="/facts/Nanoparticle/k8kNxX4E">nanoparticles</a>. </p>