Quote Originally Posted by Honky Tonk View Post
It doesn't "explode in your face", it inflates.
Most airbags use a compound called sodium azide to inflate. It does, technically, explode. It rapidly reduces to flaming chunks of sodium and scalding hot nitrogen [[LOTS of nitrogen, which is why it's great at inflating airbags) To inflate the largest
you need a slug about the size of a quarter.

It's an incredibly nasty compound but it does the job.