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Black powder, or gunpowder, is believed to have originated in China around the 11th century C.E. It is unknown who first invented black powder. It was originally used in fireworks and signals.
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In the 1300s, cannons, utilising black powder as a means of propelling a cannonball long distances, became popular in Europe. Cannons became an important part of European warfare.
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In 1831, William Bickford invented the safety fuse, which consisted of yarn woven over gunpowder, then coated in tar to waterproof the fuse. He was inspired to invent the fuse after seeing his friend make rope, and it provided a safer means of detonating explosives.
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In 1846, Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero discovered nitroglycerin, a colorless, oily liquid. He found out that it was highly explosive and initially warned against its use as an explosives. Today, nitroglycerin forms the basis for many explosives and is also used to treat heart conditions. The formula for nitroglycerin is C3H5N3O9.
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In 1863, German chemist Julius Wilbrand discovered TNT, or trinitrotoluene. It was first used as a yellow dye as it was difficult to detonate and was less powerful than alternatives. TNT was not used as an explosive until the 1900s.
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In 1865, Alfred Nobel invented the blasting cap, which was a safer means of detonating nitroglycerin.
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In 1867, Alfred Nobel patented dynamite, which consisted of an absorbent material soaked in nitroglycerin and wrapped in paper. Dynamite gained popularity as it was a safe alternative to gunpowder and nitroglycerin in its pure form.
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Around 1955, modern day high explosives, such as ANFO and ammonium - nitrate base water gels, were developed. These explosives now account for 70% of the explosive market.
