Cellulose explosives

Large quantities are used as a raw material in the chemical process industry, especially for urea across C02 reaction with NH3 and later dehydration of the formed carbamate. Urea is the product most used as agricultural fertiliser. It is used in feed for ruminants, as carbon cellulose explosives stabiliser in the manufacture of resins and also for thermosetting plastic products, among others. 

Cellulose Explosives.—The explosives made from cellulose are of two kinds, viz., cellulose nitrates alone, as in gun cotton, and mixtures of cellulose nitrates and nitro-glycerol which constitute the smokeless powders made from cellulose nitrates. 

The derivatives are hydroxyethyl and hydroxypropyl cellulose. AH four derivatives find numerous appHcations and there are other reactants that can be added to ceUulose, including the mixed addition of reactants lea ding to adducts of commercial significance. In the commercial production of mixed ethers there are economic factors to consider that include the efficiency of adduct additions (ca 40%), waste product disposal, and the method of product recovery and drying on a commercial scale. The products produced by equation 2 require heat and produce NaCl, a corrosive by-product, with each mole of adduct added. These products are produced by a paste process and require corrosion-resistant production units. The oxirane additions (eq. 3) are exothermic, and with the explosive nature of the oxiranes, require a dispersion diluent in their synthesis (see Cellulose ethers). 

E. Dodgen, "Continuous Nitration of Cellulose SNIA Viscosa Process," in Symposium on Processing Propellants, Explosives and Ingredients, ADPA, Washington, D.C., 1977, p. 4.2-1. 

The first successhil attempt to make textile fibers from plant cellulose can be traced to George Audemars (1). In 1855 he dissolved the nitrated form of cellulose in ether and alcohol and discovered that fibers were formed as the dope was drawn into the air. These soft strong nitrocellulose fibers could be woven into fabrics but had a serious drawback they were explosive, nitrated cellulose being the basis of gun-cotton (see Cellulose esters, inorganic esters). 

In explosives, diphenylamine stabilizes cellulose nitrate by reacting with nitrogen oxides (see Explosives and propellants). The products formed include /V-nitrosodiphenylamine and mono andpolynitro derivatives. 

The principal chemical iadustry based on wood is pulp and paper. In 1995, 114.5 x 10 metric tons of wood were converted iato - 60 x 10 metric tons of fiber products ranging from newsptint to pure cellulose ia the United States (1,76). Pure cellulose is the raw material for a number of products, eg, rayon, cellulose acetate film base, cellulose nitrate explosives, cellophane, celluloid, carboxymethylceUulose, and chemically modified ceUulosic material. 

Cellulose nitrate (pyroxylin) [9004-70-0], made from cellulose and a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids, is called gun cotton and is used in explosives. Nitrates of lower DS find some appHcation in coatings and adhesives. 

Perchloric acid is a weU-known acetylation catalyst, especially in the fibrous method of preparing cellulose triacetate. Unlike sulfuric acid, perchloric acid does not combine with cellulose (78), ie, it does not form esters, and therefore virtually complete acetylation (DS 3.0, 44.8% acetyl) occurs. However, the extremely corrosive nature of perchloric acid and explosive nature of its salts have precluded its use industrially as an acetylation catalyst. 

Mixing cellulose esters in nonpolar hydrocarbons, such as toluene or xylene, may result in static electricity buildup that can cause a flash fire or explosion. When adding cellulose esters to any flammable Hquid, an inert gas atmosphere should be maintained within the vessel (132). This risk may be reduced by the use of conductive solvents in combination with the hydrocarbon or by use of an antistatic additive. Protective clothing and devices should be provided. 

Cellulose esters, like most dry organic materials in powder form, are capable of creating dust explosions (133). The explosion at Bayer s cellulose acetate plant at Dormagen, Germany in 1976 can attest to the explosive potential of dust. Damage to the plant was estimated at between DM 5—10 million (134). 

CN is the oldest and most important inorganic ester of cellulose. It is a white, ododess, and tasteless substance. It has found uses in plastics, lacquers, and explosives. CN is manufactured by treating cellulose with nitric acid in the presence of sulfuric acid and water. The amount of water determines the DS attained (11,48,49). 

Group 1 Chlorate and metal perchlorate report or whistling compositions Dry non-gelatinized cellulose nitrates Barium peroxide/zirconium compositions Burn very violently Flash shells (maroons) Casings containing flash compositions Sealed hail-preventing rockets Mass explosion risk... 

Cellulose nitrate is inflammable and explosive when dry, but when soaked in water it is considered entirely safe if reasonable care is taken in handling. 

Is there a possibility of nitrating a compound Many of the explosions in chemical processing are the result of nitrating be it cellulose, tributylphosphate (to form red oil), or ammonia to form fertilizer. 

Nature uses cellulose primarily as a structural material to impart strength and rigidity to plants. Leaves, grasses, and cotton, for instance, are primarily cellulose. Cellulose also serves as raw material for the manufacture of cellulose acetate, known commercially as acetate rayon, and cellulose nitrate, known as guncotton. Guncotton is the major ingredient in smokeless powder, the explosive propellant used in artillery shells and in ammunition for firearms. 

I) cellulose nitrate to which the Explosives Act 1875 applies or (ii) solutions of cellulose nitrate where the nitrogen content of the cellulose nitrate 12.3 /n by weight and the solution contains 55 parts of cellulose nitrate per 100 parts by weight of solution. 

A detonator, in the form of explosive plates made with tetryl then a screen made of cellulose acetate plates is placed in a wooden container. A 26 mm diameter cylinder full of the substance to be analysed is placed on the screen, and finally a steel plate on top of the cylinder is added. If the substance transmits the detonation, the steel plate will be pierced and not projected. Piercing serves as an indicator of detonation transmission. The number of cellulose acetate disks needed between the sample and the detonator to prevent the detonation from being transmitted is found. Only one is needed for most chemical substances, but with m-dinitrobenzene, 240 are required. 

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