The energy transfer mechanism between semiconductor bridge (SCB) plasma and the explosives was studied. The possible energy effect forms were mentioned and discussed by the mode of capacitor discharge. Some special ignition tests were designed and carried out to validate some energy transfer mechanisms including the thermal conduction between SCB and the explosive material, SCB plasma shock effect and permeability heat effect. A continuum model was developed to analyze the heat transfer from SCB plasma to explosive particles. The spherical heat transfer models of three primary explosive particles lead styphnate (LTNR), nickel hydrazine azide (NHA and nickel hydrazine nitrate (NHN) were calculated by Fourier analysis and numerical simulation. The minimum ignition voltages of three explosive particles were 11 V, 15 V and 39 V respectively. The ignition tests show that heat transfer coefficients of medicaments affect ignition attributions of SCB. The smaller heat transfer coefficient is, the smaller minimum ignition voltage is. The simulated results show that the permeability heat effect is the main energy effect form in the SCB ignition tests.