The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-03-28
Dynamite.


IN the laboratory of Pelouze, the eminent
French chemist, made many expert
ments, and at length produced explosive
compounds from dextrine, mannite,
cane-sugar, glycerine The discovery
caused sensation among the scientists.
Its liability to explode prematurelv for a
long time prevented its being put to any
practical use. About 1868 two mining
engineers, Henry and Alfred Noble, be-
gan to experiment with nitro-glycerine
as blasting agent 1t proved to be so
effective and economical that they took
out patents in different countries for an
explosive compound similar to the dy-
Mantle now so widely known, of which
they claimed TO be the inventors. The
honor of the discovery, however, clearly
belongs to Sobrero.
Since the discovery made by Sobrero
experiments have demonstrated that
nitro-glycerine in some of its prepare
tons can be used with comparative
safety. Of these preparations dynamite
IS the best. Nitro-glycerine is itself
formed by the action of nitric acid upon
glycerine at low temperature. In
dynamite the absorbent is usually
natural silicious earth. Deposits of
this silicious earth are found in many
places, notably in Hanover. From the
Hanover earth the original dynamite
was made. This silieious earth is a fine
white powder, composed of the skele-
tons of microscopic animals (infusoria).
1t has high absorptive power, being
capable of taking up from two to three
times its weight of nitro glycerine with
out becoming pasty. Artificially-pre-
pared silica has been proposed as sub
stitute for the natural earth by Prof.
Walter N. Hill, chemist of the United
States Torpedo station at Newport,
where it has been used with good re-
suits. This silica is prepared by pre-
cipitating it from solution of sodium
silicate (water-glass) by sui phuric acid,
washing and drying, Its absorbent
power is little less than that of the
natural earth, but it retains the nitro
glycerine very well. The process of
making dynamite is very simple. The
nitro-glycerine is mixed with dry, fine
powder in leaden vessel with wooden
spatulas.
Dynamite, " says Prof. Hill, ''has a
brown color. and resembles in appear
ance moist brown sugar. 1t usually con-
tains from sixty to seventy-fye per cent.
of nitro-glycerine. In this country dyna-
mite is made and sold under the name of
giant powder. The explosive proper
ties of dynamite are those of the nitro
glycerine contained in it, as the absorb
ent is an inert body. 1t freezes at the
same temperature as in nitro-glycerine
to white mass. If solidly frozen it
cannot be fired, but if loose and pulveru-
lent it can be exploded, although with
diminished violence. 1t can be thawed
by placing the vessel containing it in
hot water. The keeping qualities of dyn-
amite are those of the nitro-glycerine it
is made from. 1t is safer, because, it
avoids the liquid condition, and from it's
softness it will bear blows much better.
Emulation must be guarded against.
Therefore it must not contain too much
nitro-glycerine, especially if it is liable
to be exposed to comparatively high tenn
peratures, which tend to make the nitro
glycerine more fluid, and consequently
less easily retained. The firing point of
dynamite is the same as its nitro-glycer-
inc. If flame is applied to it it takes
fire and burns with strong flame, leav-
ing residue of silica. 1t is not sensi-
tive to friction or moderate percussion. :"
The explosive force of dynamite is, of
course, that of nitro-glycerine contain
ed in it. If it contains Is per cent. its
comparative force may be approximately
stated at six times that of gunpow-
der, weight for weight. Dynamite
proper, contains only nitro-glycerine and
the silicious absorbent Mixtures con-
tanning other substances are sometimes
included under the same name The
true dynamite is often called "dvna-
mite No. l, p" and the others dynamite
No. 3" or receive fanciful names All
these mixtures contain less nitro-glYcer-
inc than the No. 1, so that they cost
less per pound, but, of course they are
proportionately less powerful. The fol-
lowing are varieties of No. 2 dynamite
made in England:
Per cent? Per cent.
Nitrate of sodo.. 6900Nitrate of polish. 71.OO
cSarcoai or eli DIST 10 ehareoai 1d dS
Nitro-glycerine.. 1000 Nitro-g lycerine.. 1900
1t is hard to see any advantage in
these mixtures, except that they are
cheaper and might be applied to uses
where the great violence of the larger
amount of nitro-glycerine is not needed,
and yet sharper explosive than pow.
der is wanted. 1t is improbable that
any useful effect is obtained from any
other ingredient than the nitro-glycer-
inc. Those containing deliquescent
salts (nitrate of soda, for example,) are
Objectionable from their liability to ex-
udation. All of them will be injured by
water, which dissolves the salts, which
are the principal ingredients It's easy
to see that the number of such mixtures
that might be made is very great, for
almost any dry salt or powder may be
taken as an absorbent. No special value
would attach to any of them.-Nea0