Hydrocellulose nitrate

Hexanitrohydrocellulose. See under Hydrocellulose Nitrates in this Vol Hexanitrosobenzene. See under Benzene and Derivatives in Vol 2, p B45-L... 

Nordenfelt and Meurling Powder. A propint, patented in Engl in 1884, prepd as follows Cotton or other cellulosic material, was transformed into a material resembling hydrocellulose thru treatment with hydrochloric acid. It was then dried, pulverized, and mixed with S disd in carbon disulfide. After evapn of the CS2, the material was treated with a coned soln of K nitrate, granulated and dried Ref Daniel (1902), 583... 

Note Their Einheitspulver Standard (or Unit) Propellant was G Pulver (qv), which contd 3% hydrocellulose 1.5% K-nitrate. Its props are given in PATR 2510 (1958), p Ger 190-R... 

Cellulose regenerated from the addition compound may demonstrate a certain degree of nitration (0.5—2.2% N). The properties of the compound are similar to those of hydrocellulose, eg, glittering fibers, increased hygro-scopicity and higher reactivity ... 

Luck and Durnford. Proposed, in 1896, to prepare proplnt powd from nitrated hydrocellulose which had been treated with aq starch soln. This allowed the material to be compacted into grains, blocks, leaflets, etc Ref Daniel (1902), 411-12. 

Powder by Pike (Ref It was one of the "G Pulvem (DEGDN propints), which contd NC DEGDN, 1.5% K nitrate and 3% hydrocellulose. Its calorific value was 710—730 kcal/kg. It was introduced in 1944 as the "Service proplnt for all ammunition in order id minimize the differences in ballistics previously obtd when propints of the same formulations were manufd at different plants. The incorporation of K nitrate and of hydro cellulose was claimed to give much more uniform interplant ballistics of Einheitspulver... 

MarshallfRef 2,pp 155—6) stated that nitration of hydrocellulose with mixed acid contg HN03 42.03, HaS04 46.22, Ha O 11.50 and N204 0.25% gave a product contg about 13.3% N. Its soly in ale was 12.15% and its methylene-blue test(mg absorbed by lg of nitrated product) was 2.4 Refs l)Beil — not found 2)Marshall 1... 

Nitrocellulose with a decreased molecular weight may be obtained as the result of depolymerization (degradation) of the cellulose before nitration, e.g. by keeping it at a temperature of 150-170°C or by treating it with acids. The resultant hydrocellulose, which usually possesses a lower molecular weight than cellulose, is then subjected to nitration to produce a more soluble substance as compared with the nitration product of a non-depolymerized raw material. 

As shown experimentally by Piest [75], cotton which was subjected to various operations, e.g. bleaching, treatment with alkalis or acids, strong heating prior to nitration furnishes nitrocellulose solutions of low viscosity. At the same time an increase in the solubility of the nitrocotton was also observed. This is evidence that the cellulose molecules are shortened and their content of terminal group is increased. A certain proportion of hydrocellulose and oxycellulose may result. The total effect is to bring about an increase in the reductive properties of the cellulose, i.e. an increase of the copper number. 

Naiman and Troitskii [9] have carried out extensive investigations to compare the nitration of cotton with that of cellulose differing in origin and purity from wood pulp, with hydrocellulose and oxycellulose, and with pentosans. The results are collected in Tables 90 and 91. 

Oxycellulose produces a product difficult to stabilize, in low yield. Hydrocellulose, on the other hand, yields a product more soluble in ether-alcohol mixture, and containing more nitrogen than the nitrated oxycellulose. 

MarshaIl(Ref 2,pp 155—6) stated that nitration of hydrocellulose with mixed acid contg HNO, 42.03, HjSO 46.22, Hj O 11.50 and 0.25% gave a product contg... 

This qualitative test is also referred to as Harrison s test since he was the first to describe it in 1912. The test specimen is either boiled or padded with a reagent containing a mixture of silver nitrate (1%), sodium thiosulphate (4%) and sodium hydroxide (4%) and then steamed. Those parts where degradation takes place due to oxycellulose or hydrocellulose in a fabric will be stained black or dark grey due to the formation of silver by reduction. 

---