Controlled explosives made long-range shell fire possible

As guns gained range and force, their shells needed explosives that remained controllable through the firing process. The explosive filler had to cause greater damage at the target without detonating under the harsher stresses imposed inside the gun. Nitrocellulose chemistry, involving cellulose and acids, illustrates the technical work behind that balance. Ammunition performance therefore depended on controlled chemical manufacture rather than simply choosing the most powerful available explosive.