What is the 'Mother of Satan'?

Chemical explosives found in WA have been confirmed to be the highly-volatile TATP.

Police divers search South-West waters after the TATP explosive was detected. Picture: Beau Pearson / ABC Source: PerthNow

A large haul of TATP was found in a South-West estuary - so, what is it?

Police are investigating the discovery of a second "object" found in the Leschenault Estuary, near where a haul of volatile TATP chemical explosives were found on Tuesday.

Here are some facts about the explosive:

* Acetone peroxide - otherwise known as triacetone triperoxide or peroxyacetone - is an organic peroxide, and can be used as a primary high explosive

* It commonly appears as a white crystalline powder and has a distinct smell of bleach

* It is highly volatile, and particularly susceptible to heat, friction and shock

* It is created through the chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide and acetone

* It is chemically notable as one of the few high explosives not containing nitrogen - making it popular with terrorists as it can pass through scanners designed to detect nitrogenous explosives

* As little as four grams can cause a detonation when ignited

* TATP base ingredients can include drain cleaner, bleach and acetone

* The recipe to make it is easily available on the internet, including a YouTube video viewed over 82,000 times

* It has been linked with various terrorist attacks including those attributed to al-Qaeda

* The substance was included as the trigger in the shoe bomb that Briton Richard Reid attempted to set off on a flight to Miami in December 2001