Solventless powders with a low content of nitroglycerine

Powder with a low content of nitroglycerine is simply called solventless powder to distinguish it from ballistite. 

Solventless powder is usually tubular. It was first produced at the Diineberg factory, in 1912, under the name of RPC/12 (Rohrenpulver mit Centralit 1912). Initially the manufacture of this powder was based upon the use of easily soluble nitrocellulose (11 % N), plus guncotton to bring the total nitrogen content up to 11.7%. About 25% nitroglycerine was used plus a large quantity of centralite (4-5%) as a non-volatile solvent. 

The manufacturing process was divided into the following stages  

Since the powder contains no volatile solvent it does not require long drying (cf. the manufacture of cordite). Drying lasts only a few hours and its purpose is solely to equalize the moisture content in the powder tubes. 

The rapid manufacture of RPC/12 powder was one of reasons for the protracted resistance of the Central Powers during World War I. The lack of acetone suffered by the Central Powers at that time had no effect on the production capacity of this powder in German factories. 

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