Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-06-27
CURIOUS EXPLOSIVES.
How Gun Cotton 10 Obtained and Pre-.
pared For Use In Shells.


Hydrogen forms a part Of nearly all
organic substances. In the greater
number of plants hydrogen is associa-
ted with carbon. The growing plant
is provided with roots spread out in
the moist earth, while the part which
is above ground is provided with
leaves that come in contact with q
great quantity Of air. By some mys-
terious influence that we do not un-
derstand the heat and light energy de-
rived from the sun operating in con-
nection with plant life decomposes the
water in the earth, and also the car
bonic acid. gas, which forms small
percentage Of the atmosphere. The
roots take up water and it flows
up through the trunk Of the tree,
while at the same time the car
bonic. acid gas of the atmos-
phere is decomposed, the oxygen
set free and the carbon combined with
the hydrogen Of the water. 1t will
therefore be seen that in both cases
oxygen is set free and the hydrogen
Of the water is combined with the car
bon of the atmosphere, forming true
hydrocarbon, which in many cases
constitutes the greater part Of the
weight of the plant.
The fibrous material so formed Is
generally known as cellulose. Pure
cotton and paper pulp made from
wood are examples Of pure cellulose.
If cellulose is plunged into strong nj
trio acid the hydrogen Is displaced by
what are known as nitrogen groups"
that is, oxygen in chemical combi-
nation with nitrogen enters the sub
stance, decomposing it and driving out
the hydrogen and supplanting it.. The
action Of the nitric acid upon the eel
lulose produces water, which reduces
the strength Of the acid, and to avoid
this a considerable quantity Of very
strong sulphuric acid in mixed with
the nitric acid. This absorbs the wa
ter as fast as it Is formed, keeping the
nitric acid, as one might say, In dry
state. When cotton has been nitrated
in this way, and then very carefully
washed for many hours to deprive 1t of
every trace Of its acid, and dried, 1t
becomes gun cotton, chemically known
as tri-nitrocellulose. If however, the
acids are weak, then collodion cotton
Is produced, which Is known to chem
istry as di-nitrocellulose. 1t Is only
tri-notrocellulose, however, that Is en-
ployed in the manufacture of high ex
piosives.
But cellulose is by no means the only
material that can be nitrated. There
are in fact hundreds Of materials
which may be thus converted into ex-
piosives, and all are nitrated in prac-
tically the same manner, namely, by
being dropped into strong nitric acid.
When glycerine, which Is the sugar of
fat, is nitrated it is known as nitro
glycerine, one Of the strongest and
best known Of explosives. Nitroglyc-
crime and gun cotton form the basis Of
a great number Of smokeless powders
When carbonic acid (phenoD is nj
trated it is called tri-nitrophenol, or
picric acid. But picric acid was made
more than 100 years ago from indigo.
1t crystallizes in brilliant yellow scales
and it dyes all animal tissue an in
tensely brilliant yellow. 1t was used
many years in the arts as dyeing
agent before it's true character as an
explosive was known. Picric acid is,
indeed, very peculiar substance. AL
though one Of the most violent explo-
sives known, it Is one of the safest.
If thrown into white-hot furnace it
burns away like pitch. If set on fire in
the open air it burns with a yellow
smoky flame. 1t cannot be exploded in
the open air, but if confined in a strong
receptacle and ignited by strong full
charge 1t detonates with ter
rifle violence, reducing the receptacle
into fine agments.-Harper's Weekly.