Gunpowder stability

This substance is used as a gunpowder stabilizer. It is believed that the stabilizing effect is due to the presence of unsaturated hydrocarbons, which are capable of binding any decomposition products formed. 

The presence of organic matter or other reducible material also markedly affects the thermal stability of nitrates and the use of KNO3 in gunpowder has been known for centuries (p. 645). 

Three weeks later, it drew up plans to produce 472 tons of "stabilizers" every month. The Farben "stabilizers" were used in gunpowder to prevent premature explosion. These plans were secret. This quantity, 472 tons, was enough to sustain the production of 11,875 tons of gunpowder every month. This was ten times the production permitted under the applicable treaties for all explosives, including dynamite. 

We couldn t believe our ears. Sprecher reminded the court that even the defense appreciated that "who operated Dynamit A.G." was not the only question. Suppose Farben owned less than 50 per cent (They owned a good deal more, really.) The Farben directors still knew that Dynamit A.G. couldn t put out a pound of explosives without Farben s preliminary products. Without stabilizers, Dynamit A.G. couldn t even make sporting ammunition. Stabilizers were the agents that prevented premature explosion in gunpowder. And Farben made all the stabilizers in Germany. The Farben directors knew, too, how many other preliminary products they were shipping to Dynamit A.G. 

Collectively, the thermal analysis techniques can be used to compare different batches of gunpowder and its constituents or to make more fundamental studies of, for example, the stability of the explosive under various physical or chemical conditions. 

Despite the desirable qualities of gunpowder, which include long-term stability when dry, ease of ignition, ease of loading and relative insensitivity to rough handling when filled into items such as fireworks, it suffers the disadvantage of a variable moisture content which dictates the need for careful quality control. 

Flashless Gunpowder. NC or NC-NG base proplnt containing up to 25% 5-Aminotetrazole had substantially reduced flash and smoke, while ballistic potential and stability were not reduced Ref G.C. Hale Sc L.F. Audrieth, USP 2480852 (1949) CA 44, 840(1950)... 

Since black powder is relatively low in energy, it leaves a large proportion of corrosive solids after explosion and absorbs moisture readily, it was succeeded in late 1800s by smokeless gunpowder and picric acid. The first smokeless powder, known as cordite, was invented by tbe English chemists Sir James Dewar and Sir Frederick Augustus Abel in 1889. It was made in two forms a gelatinized nitrocellulose and a mixture of NC and NG with a small quantity of petroleum jelly added to act as a stabilizer. Smokeless powder soon became tbe primary ammunition for use in pistols. 

Akardite I serves as - Stabilizer for gunpowders, in particular for -> Double Base Propellants. 

Akardite II is an effective -> Stabilizer for double base gunpowders... 

Centralite I, II and III are used as -> Stabilizers in gunpowders, especially in nitroglycerine powders (- Double Base Propellants). It is insoluble in water, but soluble in organic solvents. 

This solventless processing avoids variations in the characteristics of the products due to the presence of residual solvents. No prolonged drying operations are needed for ballistic stability of the gunpowder. 

French gunpowder. A single base nitrocellulose propellant stabilized by 1.5-2% diphenylamine. The sufix (e.g., Poudre B Ba) denotes ... 

NINHT is a high-energy explosive with a high degree of insensitivity, and stability. It may be used with satisfactory results in explosive compositions and rocket propellants, and it can act as a flash suppressant in military gunpowders. NINHT is inexpensive to manufacture, and it shows a remarkable future in high performance gun propellants. 

Perhaps the first of the numerous patents for mixtures of starch nitrate with oxidants, and the like, was assigned to W. Schiickher in 1889 for the production of a smokeless gunpowder. His mix included ammonium, barium, potassium, sodium and starch nitrates, together with potassium chlorate, picric acid salts, nitronaphthalene, and carbon. The starch nitrate used was probably defective in stability. 

Gunpowder (nitrocellulose + nitroglycerine) with stabilizers such as diphenylamine and diethyldiphenylurea, burning rate modifiers and coolants such as potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, barium nitrate, or dinitrotoluene. 

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