maximite

explosive

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

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Maximite is a high explosive belonging to the picric acid class. It was developed by American inventor Hudson Maxim and was formerly used in armor-piercing shells. Maximite was noted for being 50 percent more powerful than dynamite and could withstand the shock of firing and armor penetration without detonating prematurely, thanks to a delayed-action fuse also invented by Maxim. Hudson Maxim was a significant figure in the development of explosives, with many of his inventions being used during World War I.12

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Hudson Maxim
Maxim invented maximite, a high-explosive bursting powder that was 50 percent more powerful than dynamite and that, when placed in torpedoes, resisted the shock of firing and the still greater shock of piercing armour plate without bursting. This powder was then set off by a delayed-action detonating…
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Maxim invented maximite, a high-explosive bursting powder that was 50 percent more powerful than dynamite and that, when placed in torpedoes, resisted the shock of firing and the still greater shock of piercing armour plate without bursting. This powder was then set off by a delayed-action detonating…
Read More