# Shellite (explosive)

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Chemicals used in WWI and WWII munitions

British, 12 inch shells displayed at the [Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre](/source/Royal_Australian_Navy_Heritage_Centre) (2008). On the right is a Mk 6A Capped Common pointed shell, (formerly) filled with Shellite 70/30

**Shellite** (known as **Tridite** in US service[1]) is an explosive mixture of [picric acid](/source/Picric_acid) and [dinitrophenol](/source/Dinitrophenol) or picric acid and [hexanitrodiphenylamine](/source/Hexanitrodiphenylamine) in a ratio of 70/30. It was typically used as a filling in [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) armour-piercing shells during the early part of the 20th century.

## History

Shellite originated after [World War I](/source/World_War_I) as a development of lyddite (picric acid). During the war, lyddite-filled, [armour-piercing](/source/Armour-piercing) [shells](/source/Shell_(projectile)) had been found to be shock-sensitive, with a tendency to prematurely detonate upon impact rather than after penetrating the target's armour plate.[2] Shellite was less sensitive, and also had the advantage of a low [melting point](/source/Melting_point), that allowed it to be easily melted and poured into shell casings during manufacture.[3] The first trials of shellite took place in 1921, when the British [monitor](/source/Monitor_(warship)) [HMS *Terror*](/source/HMS_Terror_(I03)) experimentally fired different types of [15 inch (381 mm) shell](/source/BL_15_inch_Mk_I_naval_gun) at 500-yard (460 m), point-blank range against the surrendered German battleship [SMS *Baden*](/source/SMS_Baden).[3]

During [World War II](/source/World_War_II), Shellite continued to be used in naval shells. It was used in the British [Disney bomb](/source/Disney_bomb), a type of concrete-piercing bomb.

## Legacy

Shellite-filled munitions may still be encountered in the [wrecks](/source/Shipwreck) of sunken [warships](/source/Warships). They are considered hazardous as, over time, picric acid will react to form [crystals](/source/Crystal) of metal [picrates](/source/Picrate), such as [iron picrate](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iron_picrate&action=edit&redlink=1). These crystals are extremely shock sensitive and it is recommended that wrecks that contain shellite [munitions](/source/Munition) not be disturbed in any way.[4] The hazard may reduce when the shells become corroded enough to admit [seawater](/source/Seawater) as these materials are [water-soluble](/source/Water-soluble).[4]

## References

**Citations**

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Meyer *et al*, p.417

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Preston et al, p.83

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Zukas_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Zukas_3-1) Zukas et al, p.38

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-allbright78_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-allbright78_4-1) Albright, p.78

**Bibliography**

- Albright, Richard D. (2011). *Cleanup of chemical and explosive munitions : location, identification and environmental remediation* (2nd ed.). Norwich, N.Y.: William Andrew. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4377-3477-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4377-3477-5). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [770664959](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/770664959).

- Meyer, Rodolf; Kohler, Josef; Homberg, Axel (2008). *Explosives*. John Wiley and Sons. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3527616343](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3527616343).

- Preston, Antony; Jordan, John; Dent, Stephen (2007). *Warship*. Naval Institute Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1844860418](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1844860418).

- Zukas, Jonas; Walters, William W.; Walters, William P. (2002). *Explosive Effects and Applications*. Springer. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0387955585](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0387955585).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Shellite (explosive)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellite_(explosive)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellite_(explosive)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.