Blackpowder picric acid

Picric acid [(trinitrophenol) (C6H3N307)] was found to be a suitable replacement for blackpowder in 1885 by Turpin, and in 1888 black-powder was replaced by picric acid in British munitions under the name Liddite. Picric acid is probably the earliest known nitrophenol it is mentioned in the alchemical writings of Glauber as early as 1742. In the second half of the 19th century, picric acid was widely used as a fast dye for silk and wool. It was not until 1830 that the possibility of using picric acid as an explosive was explored by Welter. 

Designolle and Brugere suggested that picrate salts could be used as a propellant, while in 1871, Abel proposed the use of ammonium picrate as an explosive. In 1873, Sprengel showed that picric acid could be detonated to an explosion and Turpin, utilizing these results, replaced blackpowder with picric acid for the filling of munition shells. In Russia, Panpushko prepared picric acid in 1894 and soon realized its potential as an explosive. Eventually, picric acid (1,2) was accepted all over the world as the basic explosive for military uses. 

Turpin replaced blackpowder with picric acid. 

The structure of TNT was established by Claus and Becker. Turpin replaced blackpowder with picric acid. 

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