Lyddite

Picric Acid (PA listed as 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol in C A since 1972 Melinite in Fr Melinit in Russ, Lyddit in Engl Granatfullung or Sprengkorper 88 in Ger Pertit in Ital Hcrinit in Span, Ekrasit in Austr TNF in Pol Shimoza in Jap)... 

Synonyms AI3-15403 Carbazotic acid CCRIS 3106 C.I. 10305 EINECS 201-865-9 Hager s reagent 2-Hydroxy-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene Lyddite Melinite NA 1344 Nitroxanthic acid NSC 36947 NSC 56147 NSC 141218 NSC 168933 NSC 221282 Pertite Phenol trinitrate Picragol Picral Picronitric acid Shimose 1,3,5-Trinitrophenol 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol UN 0154 UN 1344. 

It was also shown during South African War that shells loaded with Lyddite (Engl name for PA) were less satisfactory than those loaded with Black Powder. This was caused by incomplete deton of PA, which was attributed to the faulty construction of detonators (Ref 71, p 11)... 

An example of this was a yellow body with a red band on the nose to denote high explosive, lyddite (Picric Acid) filled projectiles. When plaster kits were assembled to these projectiles a wide brown band was painted on the projectile nose and one narrow red band painted underneath it. In addition to the color markings, metal stamp and stencil markings were also employed for identification purposes... 

Lyddite. Br expl, similar in compn to the Fr Melinite (qv). The name was derived from the town of Lydd, near which the expl was manufd and tested. It contains either PA alone, or in admixture with about lOp of other aromatic hydrocarbons, added principally to lower the mp of the PA. Lyddite was adopted in 1888 for charging torpedo warheads, and later during the South African war, for HE projectiles Refs 1) Daniel (1902), 414 2) Colver... 

It was used for this purpose in France since 1886 under the name of Melinite and in Gt-Britain since 1888 under the name of Lyddit and then later in Japan as Shimose. Although PA was known for more than 100 years before Turpin s discovery, it was not used straight but always in mixtures, such as of Borlinetto and of Disignolle invented in 1867 (See Vol 2 of Encycl, p B250-R and Vol 3, p D90)... 

Picric Acid(PA). Used in boosters(pressed) and in grenades some shells(cast, under the name Lyddite)... 

Burning-out of Lyddite and other Shells as conducted after WWI in Europe is described by M.M. Kostevitch in a pamphlet entitled "Methods for the Safeburning-out Lyddite and other Shells Talieres Graficos, Buenos Aires(1944)... 

Wash, DC (1944) 748-78 lO)M.M.Kostevitch, Methods for the Safe Burning-out of Lyddite and Other Shells , Talleres Graficos, Buenos Aires (1944) ll)R.D.Leitch P.R.Moyer, US Bur Mines Info Circ IC 7335 (1945)> 6 pp (Destruction of damaged, deteriorated, or unwanted commercial expls) 12)Anon, Destruction of Unexploded Ammunition in Theaters of Operation , US War Dept Tech Bull TB ORD 249,... 

Picric Acid (melinite, lyddite, pertite, shimo e, etc.)... 

As an explosive it is known under various names Ekrasit (Austria), Melinite (France), Granatfiillung 1888-abbrev. Grf 88 (for shells), Sprengkorper 88 (for field engineer cartridges) (Germany), Pertite (Italy), Shimoza (Japan), TNF (Poland), Picrinit (Spain), Lyddit (United Kingdom), Melinit (U S S R.). 

Macarites. Expls introduced in 1891 by J. de Macar of Belg, with the primary objective of replacing PA (Lyddite or Melinite) for filling HE shells, torpedoes, etc. The original Macarite contd TNT 28.1 and Pb nitrate 71.9% at d 2.7—2.8g/cc. Its deton reaction showed complete combn to COj, H2 0 and Pb 4C7Hs(N02)3 + 7Pb(N03)2 =... 

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