Black powder development

HI 17—34. Black Powder is no longer used as a proplnt, but it is still used in igniters for SP The next stage in the development of SP, namely the early development of single base smokeless powder, followed the discovery of Nitrocellulose (NC). We quote Urbanski (Ref 46a, p 528) ... 

In 1972, we reported a general procedure for the preparation of highly reactive metal powders. The basic procedure involved the reduction of a metal salt in a hydrocarbon or ethereal solvent. The reductions are most generally carried out with alkali metals such as potassium, sodium, or lithium. A wide range of methods have been developed to carry out the reductions. The reactivities of these resulting black powders exceed other reports in the literature for metal powders. This high reactivity has resulted in the development of several new synthetic techniques and vast improvements in many older, well established reactions. This review concentrates on the metals Mg, Ni, Zn, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, and U. 

The initial development of the firework rocket and the military rocket probably occurred during the same period in history. Both used black powder as the rocket propellant. 

Skipping about two centuries, the activities of one experimenter typify the development of early black powder. His work took place between about 1235 and 1290 ad and he is reputed to have been the first scholar in Northern Europe who was skilled in the use of black powder. In essence, his work provided the backbone of all early chemical purification and formulation, without which the development of true gunpowders would not have been possible. His name was Roger Bacon (Figure 1.1). 

Delay Composition A general term for a mixture that burns at a seleeted, reproducible rate, providing a time delay between activation and production of the main effect. A fuse containing a core of black powder is an example of a delay. Highly-reproducible delay mixtures are needed for military applications, and much research effort has been put into developing reliable compositions. 

Black powder was the sole delay mixture available for several centuries. The development and use of "safety fuse" containing... 

The production of hot gas to lift and move objects, using a pyrotechnic system, began with the development of black powder. Rockets were in use in Italy in the 14th century [51, and cannons were developed at about the same time. The development of aerial fireworks was a logical extension of cannon technology. 

At some early time, prior to 1000 A.D., an observant scientist recognized the unique properties of a blend of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal and black powder was developed as the first "modern" high-energy composition. A formula quite similar to the one used today was reported by Marcus Graecus ("Mark the Greek") in an 8th century work "Book of Fires for Burning the Enemy"... 

Simultaneously, the discovery of nitroglycerine in 1845 by Sobrero in Italy, and Nobel s work with dynamite, led to the development of a new generation of true high explosives that were far superior to black powder for many blasting and explosives applications. The development of modern smokeless powder -using nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine - led to the demise of black powder as the main propellant for guns of all types and sizes. 

The Germans developed a 15cm shell, for use against ground targets, which contained 12 or more celluloid cylinders surrounded by yellow phosphorous imbedded in paraffin. A central tube of Black Powder was used as a bursting charge... 

A 50 lb scatter-type bomb developed by the US is identical with the intensive type as far as outside dimensions are concerned. Incendiary material to be scattered consists of either cotton-waste balls impregnated with inflammable materials, such as turpentine or CS2, or gelled oil held in small celluloid containers. When the bomb lands, ignition and ejection of the units are effected by an explosion of Black Powder in the nose... 

Black powder revolutionized warfare and also played a significant role in the overall development in the pattern of living throughout the world. The Chinese first used black powder as a gun propellant as early as 1130, placing it in bamboo tubes that were reinforced with iron to propel stone projectiles and arrows. The Chinese records also indicate that they used black powder in bombs for military purposes. 

Ovid mentions the method of writing with now milk, the characters being subsequently developed, even after the lapse of some time, by coal-dust or soot. The same moans are proposed by Ausonius. It may be easily perceived that instead of milk, any other colorless and glutinous juice might be employed, os it would equally retain the black powder sprinkled upon it. Pliny, perceiving this, recommends tho milky sap of certain plants. 

Amorphous Tellurium is a brownish-black powder usually obtained by precipitation methods, for example by reducing a solution of tellurium dioxide with sulphurous acid.1 On.heating it is transformed into crystalline tellurium with development of heat ... 

Black powder, using KNOt or NaNO,. charcoal and sulfur was probably the first explosive developed and is attributed eilher lo Chinese or Egyptian ingenuity. The lime of first use occurred before ihe birth of Christ, This is a deflagrating explosive and was adapted for blasting purposes ns early us the 1600s. 

B77. A kind of black powder used in the Russian artillery from 1877 up to the adoption of smokeless propellant Pyroco/fotAo (N= 12.44%) developed by Mendeleev ca 1891 Ref Dr M.M.Kostevitch, Buenos Aires, Argentina private communication(1955)... 

Coal Powders. These are black powders in which charcoal is replaced by coal, as for example, in compositions developed at Pic-Arsn by Varrato (Refs 1 2). Such powders burn slower than corresponding charcoal contg BkPdrs and for this reason are suitable for use in slow-burning safety fuses or in time fuzes. By blending them with suitable charcoal pdrs, various intermediate rates of burning may be obtd... 

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