thumb|right|A [[blockbuster bomb being loaded onto a De Havilland Mosquito of the RAF, circa 1944. The explosive filling of tritonal 80/20 is stencilled on the side, inside the chalked "O" of "Adolf"]]
thumb|right|A [[M117 bomb. The explosive filling of tritonal is stencilled on the nose]]
Tritonal is a mixture of 80% TNT and 20% aluminium powder, used in several types of ordnance such as air-dropped bombs. The aluminium increases 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.
The 87 kg of tritonal in a Mark 82 bomb has the potential to produce approximately 863 MJ of energy when detonated.
Modern tritonal was developed as a cheaper substitute for Torpex and HBX under UWE designation (UnderWater Explosive) before it turned out Allies could produce enough RDX to cover all naval requirements late in WWII.
See also
- Torpex
- Composition H6
- Minol
- Relative effectiveness factor (RE)