Tritonal

Tritonal is a mixture of 80% TNT and 20% aluminium powder, used in several types of ordnance such as air-dropped bombs. The aluminium improves the total heat output and hence impulse of the TNT — the length of time during which the blast wave is positive. Tritonal is approximately 18% more powerful than TNT alone.[1]

For the musical group, see Tritonal (group). For the musical interval, see Tritone.
A 4,000 lb blockbuster bomb being loaded onto a De Havilland Mosquito of the RAF, circa 1944. The explosive filling of Tritonal 80/20 is clearly stencilled on the side, inside the chalked "O" of Adolf
A 750 lb M117 bomb. The explosive filling of Tritonal is stencilled on the nose

The 87 kg of tritonal in a Mark 82 bomb has the potential to produce approximately 863 MJ of energy when detonated.[1] This implies an energy density of approximately 9MJ/kg, compared to ~4MJ/kg for TNT.

References
  1. J. L. Maienschein; "Estimating Equivalency Of Explosives Through A Thermochemical Approach"; July 8, 2002

See also
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