The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-08-02
HIGH EXPLOSIVES.
Amateur Chemists Should Fight
Shy Of DAZZLING In Them.
SCIENCE IN THEIR MAkiM.
These Terribly Destructive Agents Are
the Outcome Of Serious Research
Work-Smokeless Powders and EcE
They Are Produced.

A word of caution to amateurs who
wish to experiment with high cxplo.
sives-don't. The manufacture of high
explosives Is now u highly specialized
branch Of chemistry and chemical en-
gineering. and great technical knowl-
edge and experience are necessary IL
one wishes to go through life whole.
Another cautiOn-not one of the present
explosive compounds has been discOv-
cred and made practical by an anna
teur; they are as much a growth Of
scientific research as is the manufac-
ture of aniline dyes.
The bases of the most terribly de-
structive explosives are very innocent
substances themselves and of high i'm
portance in the arts of peace. Cotton
and glycerin are the two most impor-
tant raw materials used for high ex-
plosives: next come phenols, benZol,
toluol. etc. Cotton is by far the most
important. as its nitro compounds are
the base of all sm0keless powders used
in cannon and rifles and explosive
shells and torpedo heads.
SmOkeless powder is now the most
important military product Of guncot-
ton and nitrOglycerin. Broadly speak,
ing, smOkelcss powder is q gelatinized
form Of guncotton or guncotton and
nitroglycerin i'm varying proportions.
with small proportions of other SUBJ
stances to modify its action or to stab
ilize it. The general method of max.
ing each of the two types is as fol,
lows: GuncOtton powders are made by
dissolving u mixture Of dinitrO and tvi-
nitrocel!ulose in a mixture Of aIeehI
and ether, working the mass until a
plastic jelly is formed and then work.
ing this mp with its other ingredients
and finally pressing the mass into
threads and cylinders or cutting up
sheets of it to make small grains.
SmOkeless powder for big guns and
smaller rified cannon is usually made
in the form of perforated cylinders of
varying sizes by forcing the plastic
mass through dies. These cylinders are
from an eighth Of an inch to an inch
IN thickness and from half an inch to,
two inches long, the size and number
Of perfOrations varying with the size
of the gun for which intended. The
cylinders are perforated so that the
fame from the combustion can burn
them more evenly, thus securing uni
form pressure in the gun and its maxi
mum effect.
Smokeless powders are exploded by
direct flame. from friction or electric
primer. the combustion being almost
instantaneous. Set afire in open air
smokeless powders burn fiercely. but
without explosion. Unless badly de-
Perforated by age and consequent
formation of excess of free acids,
smokclcss powder seldom explodes by
conclusion. When excessively acid It
will explode spontaneously.
In appearance smokeless powder Ge-
sembles yellow or amber celluioid, Has
a horny texture and can be cut with a
knife. The powder used by the United
States is a guncotton powder. a small
proportion Of diphenylamine and GAL
cium carbide being added to stabiflze
it. The process and methods Of manu-
iaNthic Ciosciy ScSIctS.
Nitroglycerin smOkeless powdershave
as base both guncottOn and nitro
glycerin. The guncotton Is dissolved
in the nitroglycerin. jelly-like mass
being formed. This is then dissolved
in acetone or mixture Of alcohol and
ether. stabilizing ingredients added AMI
the whole worked into n plastic mass
This mass 10 than procc o,l In IN sttcEs mr.
perforated cylinders or granulated from
sheets by the same process as guncot-
ton powder. AMI the finished product u
similar IN appearance.
Ntroglyccrin powders have greater
explosive force than nitrOcellulose pow
ders. but have the drawback Of being
unstable and irregular In action. In
fact. all smOkeless powders have these
defects. The perfect smokeless pow.
der is yet to be invented. and mean
while those who handle and store 1t
must keep constant watch for signs
Of deterioration and consequent liabil-
ity to spontaneous explosion.
The most stable and effective type Of
smokeless powder il the English cord
tte." SO called because nodded into
strips or cords Of varying length and
diameter. The new type cordite ID
composed of approximately 6J parts Of
thirty parts Of nitro
glycerin and five parts Of mineral jelly
or petrOlatum, acetone being used for
making the jelly and dissolving the nj
tr0gelatin formed.
Originally petrolatum was added to
cordite with the idea that 1t would less.
en- the erosion Of the charge on the
riding Of the gun. Later II was discov-
cred that the petroleum. acted as an
almost perfect stabilizer by preventing
oxidation mechanically. Cordite for
merly contained a higher proportion of
nitrogiycerin, but this formula has been
abandoned for the later one. as the old
powder was too subject to decomposi-
ton.
Blasting gelatin Is similar In compo-
sition to this type Of smokeless pow
der and Ia made by dissolving guncot-