The M1 Thickener (Mil-t-589a), chemically a mixture of 25% wt. aluminum naphthenate, 25% aluminum oleate, and 50% aluminum laurate, (or, according to other sources, aluminum stearate soap) is a highly hygroscopic coarse tan-colored powder. As the water content impairs the quality of napalm, thickener from partially used open containers should not be used later. It is not maintained in the US Army inventory any more as it was replaced with M4.

The M2 Thickener (Mil-t-0903025b) is a whitish powder similar to M1, with added devolatilized silica and anticaking agent.

The M4 flame fuel thickening compound (Mil-t-50009a), hydroxyl aluminum bis(2-ethylhexanoate) with anti-caking agent, is a fine white powder. It is less hygroscopic than M1 and opened containers can be resealed and used within one day. About half the amount of M4 is needed for the same effect as of M1.



Make Napalm with two ingredients that can easily be found. This version of Napalm isn't as sticky as those others that have been posted, but burns well enough to make firestarters out of it and even an outdoor stove.Materials that you will need:Empty jar (I used a pickle jar, I also already have a little bit left from my last batch)Stick (spoon, straw, etc.)Citronella oil (Lighter's fluid will also work)Powdered SugarWarning: This stuff will continue to burn as it falls apart. Fire burns. Ouch!This isn't Military grade napalm, nor does it use a Styrofoam and gasoline mixture (known famously as a "Homemade Napalm"). Also the oil is "Lemon scented" in this version, which usually means someone, somewhere was smelling the fumes let off by burning it, which means that you probably (I can't guarantee it cause you may be allergic to something in the oil) won't die from it."Napalm is usually a mixture of gasoline with suitable thickening agents. The earliest thickeners were soaps, aluminum, and magnesium palmitates and stearates. Depending on the amount of added thickener, the resulting viscosity may range between syrupy liquid and thick rubbery gel. The content of long hydrocarbon chains makes the material highly hydrophobic (resistant to wetting with water), making it more difficult to extinguish. Thickened fuel also rebounds better from surfaces, making it more useful for operations in urban terrain.There are two types of napalm: oil-based with aluminum soap thickener, and oil-based with polymeric thickener ("napalm-B").The United States military uses three kinds of thickeners: M1, M2, and M4.A later variant, napalm-B, also called "super napalm", is a mixture of low-octane gasoline with benzene and polystyrene. It was used in the Vietnam War. Unlike conventional napalm, which burns for only 15Ã¢â¬â€30 seconds, napalm B burns for up to 10 minutes with fewer fireballs, sticks better to surfaces, and offers improved destruction effects. It is not as easy to ignite, which reduces the number of accidents caused by soldiers smoking. When it burns, it develops a characteristic smell.Starting in the early 1990s, various websites including The Anarchist Cookbook advertised recipes for homemade napalm. These recipes were predominantly equal parts gasoline and styrofoam. This mixture closely resembles that of napalm-B, but lacks a percentage of benzene.Napalm reaches burning temperatures of approximately 1,200 ÃÂ°C (2,200 ÃÂ°F). Other additives can be added, eg. powdered aluminum or magnesium, or white phosphorus.In the early 1950s, Norway developed its own napalm, based on fatty acids in whale oil. The reason for this development was that the American-produced thickening agent performed rather poorly in the cold Norwegian climate. The product was known as Northick 11II.Some weapons utilize a pyrophoric variant, known as TPA (thickened pyrophoric agent). Chemically it is a triethylaluminium thickened with polyisobutylene."