How can my creature use explosives to get the maximum bite force/speed?

I have a creature in which its main feature are its alligator-like jaws. It's carnivorous, incredibly aggressive, and is a reptile. Let's call them boom-agators.

Now reading through many different alligator and crocodile bite forces, they have a bite force of 3,700 pounds per square inch, or 16,460 newtons (saltwater crocodile).

I'm looking to get much more explosive with my reptilian bites the only way I know how...adding explosives to the mix. The idea is that in the jaw of my reptile, a small chemical explosive (think airbags) would combine and react in a small piston-like cavity in the jaw, propelling the jaw closed with the force of the reaction.

Now obviously, having explosives in your mouth seems like a Bad Idea^TM, however for my story to be plausible¹, I need for these to be explosive based. There's a few problems that I think I've addressed, but have I missed anything that might cause issues for this animal.

• Their primary diet consists of rapidly swimming fish, and requires them to essentially open their mouths and clamp down as a fish is swimming (35 km/h) by them. They're a river dwelling species in which fish are constantly in migration, so food availability isn't an issue.
• They live in the water, so any fire based reactions (gunpowder, etc) should be contained within the animal.
• The animal has a chitinous jaw-stopper that looks like the rubber pieces that keep doors from opening too hard into walls. It can take as much force as you put into it to prevent the teeth from entering its own skull. Their bones are made from adamantium.
• If used in combination with actual muscles, assume that there is no limitation on its reactions, and its evolution has taught it how to use this ability with its muscles involved.
• If the required chemicals are not natural, please assume the creature can make them by eating a magical weed that its species knows is beneficial.
• The explosive must not be so large as to be unable to be contained by the animal (please don't make a tiny black hole in its mouth to do this...)

I also just saw this question about a crab that needs to escape my predator, however I'm looking for the other side of the equation.

So with that out of the way How can my creature use explosives to get the maximum bite force/speed?

¹ _{Guy gets stranded in a Bayou environment in which these live, and must harvest these chemicals and glands to get revenge on those who wronged him.}

posted over 6 years ago

Anoplexian - Reinstate Monica‭

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