Nitrocellulose smokeless powder

Nitric acid and nitrates are important chemicals. For example, black powder (also known as gunpowder) has been used for centuries, and it is a mixture containing 75% KN03, 15% C, and 10% S. The mixture is made into flakes while wet and then dried. Except for large guns on naval vessels, it has been replaced by nitrocellulose (smokeless) powder that also contains small amounts of certain additives. 

Nitrocellulose Nitrocellulose Smokeless powder Nitrated ceUulose, Gun cotton, CeUulosetrinitrate... 

The new propellant was promising but the nitrocellulose smokeless powder invented soon afterwards superseded all mixtures containing potassium nitrate and similar salts, that give a number of solid particles when exploded. For a time in the United States various mixtures were still used instead of blackpowder—chiefly for sporting purposes. E.g. Gold Dust Powder (Starke [36]) consisted of 55% ammonium picrate, 25% potassium picrate and 20% ammonium bichromate. Soon, however, early in the nineteenth century, the use of these mixtures was discontinued. 

Soon after the manufacture of nitrocellulose smokeless powder began it was established that the powder obtained by the partial dissolution of nitrocellulose in a mixture of alcohol and ether (partly colloidal powder) has a chemical stability inferior to that of the nitrocellulose from which it derived. Thus Vieille [11] reports that on heating to a temperature of 110°C CPj guncotton undergoes denitration with the evolution of 0.04 cm3 NO/hr/gramme whereas the powder obtained from these substances without a stabilizer undergoes denitration at more than twice the rate, namely 0.10-0.15 cm3 NO/hr/gramme of substance. 

Figure 45. Marius Marqueyrol, Inspecteur-General des Poudres, France. 1919. Author of many researches on aromatic nitro compounds, nitrocellulose, smokeless powder, stabilizers and stability, chlorate explosives, etc.—published for the most part in the Memorial des poudres and in the Bulletin de la societe chimique de France.

Composition A nitrocellulose smokeless powder produced in spherical form by a simplified process in which stabilization, gelatinization, and solvent recovery are carried out in one operation, P1J327. 

Nitrocellulose smokeless powder is an extremely electronegative material, and therefore, produces static electricity when brought into contact and separated from almost any other material. During the course of drying, and handling the powder after drying, BALL POWDER could acquire a considerable charge. 

In fact, the first nitrocellulose smokeless powder was the result of the combined traditions of France and England. 

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 Russia, Mendeleyev (Ref 12) worked out a method for the manufacture of smokeless powder from pyrocellulose, i.e. relatively high-nitrated (12.5% N) nitrocellulose soluble in a mixture of ether and alcohol. In 1892 the manu-... 

Uses Solvent in nitrocellulose coatings, vinyl films and Glyptal resins paint removers cements and adhesives organic synthesis manufacture of smokeless powders and colorless synthetic resins preparation of 2-butanol, butane, and amines cleaning fluids printing catalyst carrier acrylic coatings. 

Uses Manufacture of smokeless powder, photographic film and plates, artificial leather and silk, perfumes pharmaceuticals in cleaning textiles solvent for nitrocellulose, lacquers, varnishes, and airplane dopes ingredient in artificial fruit essences. 

The most widely used inorganic ester of cellulose is cellulose nitrate (CN), also called nitrocellulose or gun cotton. Celluloid is produced from a mixture of CN and camphor. It was first made in 1833 when cellulose-containing linen, paper, or sawdust was reacted with concentrated nitric acid. It was the first synthetic cellulose product that was recognized. Initially, CN was used as a military explosive and improvements allowed the manufacture of smokeless powder. A representation of CN is given in structure 9.7. 

Other explosives, discovered in the nineteenth century, were nitroglycerine, a liquid that is absorbed in a solid to make dynamite, and nitrocellulose, a solid that produces less smoke (smokeless powder). They are made by heating glycerine and cellulose with nitric acid, a process that adds nitro (-NO2) groups. Another important explosive is trinitrotoluene, made by heating (very carefully) toluene in nitric acid,... 

FIG. 2.5 Ballistite, a "smokeless powder" consisting of 60% nitrocellulose and 40% nitroglycerine, produces a thermogram with no transitions detectable prior to exothermic decomposition above 150 "C. 

The late 19th century saw the development of a new family of "smokeless" powders, as modern organic chemistry blossomed and the nitration reaction became commercially feasible. Two "esters" - nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine - became the major components of these new propellants. An ester is a compound formed from the reaction between an acid and an alcohol. Figure 6.1 illustrates the formation of NC and NG from nitric acid and the precursor alcohols cellulose and glycerine. 

Single base" smokeless powder, developed mainly in the United States, uses only nitrocellulose. "Double base" smokeless powder, developed in Europe, is a blend of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine. "Cordite," a British development, consists of 65% NC, 30% NG, and 5% mineral jelly. The mineral jelly (a hydrocarbon material) functions as a coolant and produces substantial amounts of CO 2, CO, and H 2O gas to improve the propellant characteristics. "Triple base" smokeless powder, containing nitroguanidine as a third component with nitroglycerine and nitrocellulose is also manufactured. 

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. 

During the years of World War 1 the Kenvil and Hercules plants were equipped to manufacture TNT. Capacity eventually reached 7,000,000 lbs/month. In addition, Hercules operated the Nitro, West Virginia smokeless powder plant for a short time. The Union plant in Gillespie, NJ,was also acquired by Hercules for production of smokeless propellant and later for manufacture of nitrocellulose for dynamites and lacquer as well. Total Hercules production of smokeless propellant during World War I was over 100,000,000 lbs. Ln addition,... 

Ishpeming, Mich - Water gel Kenvil, N J — Smokeless powder, diazo Louisiana, Mo — Ammonium nitrate, nitric acid Parlin, N.J — Nitrocellulose Port Ewen, NY— Detonators, initiators Rocket Center, W Va - Propellants Radford, Va — Government owned, company operated... 

Numerous mixtures have been proposed for ignition of explosives. Of these, the most commonly used are mealed gunpowder, finely grained Black Powder, nitrocellulose mixed with other substances finely divided smokeless powders mixed with other substances... 

Cellulosetrinitrate Nitrocellulose Low explosive, Main component in smokeless powders, lED filler... 

Nitrocellulose Nitric acid. Sulfuric acid. Wood pulp. Sodium hydroxide. Sodium bicarbonate, Carhon disulfide Low explosive. Main component in smokeless powders, lED filler... 

Double base A smokeless powder that contains both nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose. 

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