Improvements in Explosives, and in the Manufacture of same from Molasses.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Explosives, and in the Manufacture of same from
Molasses.
I, Dr. JOSEPH REGENSBURGER, of 35, Friedenstrasse, Cologne-on-the-Rhine, in
the Empire of Germany, Apothecary and Chemist, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved explosive and the manufacture of same
from molasses or their residues. It has already been proposed to make explosives
from molasses and their residues by nitrating such substances and thus obtaining the
right amount of carbon and oxygen and also the removal or diminution of the
salts by preliminarily treating the ordinary or de-saccharinated molasses with
lead superoxide and sulphide of carbon or rather oxygen. According to the pro-
posed process the molasses by such a preliminary treatment are rendered capable
of yielding fine fluid nitro-compounds. Experiments made according to the said
process have however shown that the nitro-product obtained forms a stiff,
adhesive, substance drawing out into threads which is not at all suitable for
being absorbed and cannot be deoxidised. A further proposition has also been
made tending to produce with certainty a fluid oily nitro-product from molasses
by adding sulphuric ether or alcohol and sulphurous acid and glycerine to the
molasses which are to be nitrated. The addition of glycerine causes the forma-
tion of nitro-glycerine which destroys the non-dangerous nature of the product,
and it has also been found in this proposed process that this nitro-product also
cannot be deoxidised and consequently remains liable to the danger of decom-
position. In this known process it was also found that the heating of the mass
was a comparatively high one and therefore a dangerous one, such heating rises
in fact up to 50° C.
Experiments which were made for avoiding all these drawbacks and reducing
as far as possible the cost of the process, showed that the oxidation of the molasses
must be carried out in other manner before the nitrating than is done in the
processes previously described. It has in fact been shown that the oxidation
may be carried out by means of peroxide of sodium, barium or hydrogen to which
neither ether nor alcohol but an animal or mineral oil is added when it is desired
to avoid the drawbacks depicted and obtain a nitro-product which may be well
de-oxidised and easily absorbed by absorbent materials.
The process which forms the object of the present invention may accordingly
be carried out as follows
The molasses are treated with a suitable oxidising substance (peroxide of
sodium, barium or hydrogen) and allowed to stand for some hours at a tem-
perature of 15-20° C. A decomposition of the peroxide and evolution of oxygen
then takes place. In using peroxide of barium it is advisable to at once heat
the mass as it only decomposes when heated or by means of boiling water. As

page_text: soon as the evolution of gas ceases the whole is heated in order to evaporate the
surplus added water. An addition of 20-25 % of animal or mineral oil (pre-
ferably bone oil) is then made and the mixture is further heated in order to
expel the last remains of water and to bring the whole to a density of 40° Beaumé.
It is preferable to constantly agitate the mass by the addition of a small quantity
of sulphuric ether until it is entirely cooled, as thereby the mixture of the oil
with the molasses is facilitated and rendered more thorough. In this manner
there is obtained from the molasses and oil a thoroughly homogeneous body from
which the oil does not separate even with long standing. The mass is then
nitrated in the usual way by means of nitric and sulphuric acids. This nitration
proceeds easily and smoothly with the molasses prepared in the manner herein-
before described; the nitro-product formed is at once deposited on the surface of
the acids. The acids are then strained off and the nitro-product itself received
in cold water. After repeated washings with cold water the product is preferably
treated with warm water (up to 80° C.) to which a neutralising substance (such
for instance soda or strong ammonia) has been added, until the acid is removed;
urea may also be employed for this object. The nitro-product free from acid thus
obtained forms an oily liquid which for the purpose of further use is absorbed in
the ordinary manner and after being fully dried may be formed into cartridges.
This nitro-product is considerably stronger than that formed by the processes at
present employed and cartridges with 33 % of this product exhibit an excellent
explosive power.
This invention has also the advantage as against the processes at present
known, that the heating seldom extends beyond 33° C. and thus the higher
heating to about 50° C. is avoided. The product may also be easily freed from
acid in contrast to the process at present known in which even without oxidation
no non-acid nitro-product can be obtained and in which, in order to nitrate
molasses to a fluid oil, glycerine must always be added which renders the nitrat-
ing process dangerous and also yields a dangerous product. This last drawback
is avoided in the present invention by the addition of animal or mineral oil to
the molasses.
L
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
DI MULTICATION.
Improvements in Explosives, and in the Manufacture of same from
Molasses.
I, Dr. JOSEPH REGENSBURGER, of 35, Friedenstrasse, Cologne-on-the-Rhine, in
the Empire of Germany, Apothecary and Chemist, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
This invention relates to the manufacture of an explosive from molasses or their
residues, preferably residues remaining after the extraction of sugar from the
molasses.
It has already
been proposed to make explosives from molasses
and their residues by nitrating such substances and thus obtaining the
right amount of carbon and oxygen and also the removal or diminution of the
salts by preliminarily treating the ordinary or de-saccharinated molasses with

page_text: 5
lead superoxide and sulphide of carbon or rather oxygen. According to the pro-
posed process the molasses by such a preliminary treatment are rendered capable
of yielding fine fluid nitro-compounds. Experiments made according to the said
process have however shown that the nitro-product obtained forms a stiff,
adhesive, substance drawing out into threads, which is not at all suitable for
being absorbed and cannot be deoxidised. A further proposition has also been
made tending to produce with certainty a fluid oily nitro-product from molasses
by adding sulphuric ether or alcohol and sulphurous acid and glycerine to the
molasses which are to be nitrated. The addition of glycerine causes the forma-
tion of nitro-glycerine which destroys the non-dangerous nature of the product,
and it has also been found in this proposed process that this nitro-product also
cannot be deoxidised and consequently remains liable to the danger of decom-
position. In this known process it was also found that the heating of the mass
was a comparatively high one and therefore a dangerous one, such heating rises
in fact up to 50° C.
Experiments which were made for avoiding all these drawbacks and reducing
as far as possible the cost of the process, showed that the oxidation of the molasses
must be carried out in other manner before the nitrating than is done in the
processes previously described. It has in fact been shown that the oxidation
may be carried out by means of peroxide of sodium, barium or hydrogen to which
neither ether nor alcohol but an animal or mineral oil is added when it is desired
to avoid the drawbacks depicted and obtain a nitro-product which may be well
de-oxidised and easily absorbed by absorbent materials.
The process which forms the object of the present invention may accordingly
be carried out as follows:-
The molasses or their residues before mentioned are treated with a suitable
oxidising substance (peroxide of sodium, barium or hydrogen) and allowed to
stand for some hours at a temperature of 15-20° C. A decomposition of the
peroxide and evolution of oxygen then takes place. In using peroxide of barium
it is advisable to at once, heat the mass, as it only decomposes when heated, or
by means of boiling water. As soon as the evolution of gas ceases the whole is
heated in order to evaporate the surplus added water. An addition of 20-25 %
of animal or mineral oil (preferably purified bone oil or purified petroleum) is
then made and the mixture is further heated in order to expel the last remains of
It is preferable to con-
water and to bring the whole to a density of 40° Beaumé.
stantly agitate the mass by the addition of a small quantity of sulphuric ether
until it is entirely cooled, as thereby the mixture of the oil with the molasses is
facilitated and rendered more thorough. In this manner there is obtained from
the molasses and oil a thoroughly homogeneous body from which the oil does not
separate even with long standing. The mass is then nitrated in the usual way
by means of nitric and sulphuric acids. This nitration proceeds easily and
smoothly with the molasses prepared in the manner hereinbefore described; the
nitro-product formed is at once deposited on the surface of the acids. The acids
are then strained off and the nitro-product itself received in cold water.
repeated washings with cold water the product is preferably treated with warm.
water (up to 80° C.) to which a neutralising substance (such for instance as soda
or strong ammonia) has been added, until the acid is removed; urea may also
be employed for this object. The nitro-product free from acid thus obtained
forms an oily liquid which for the purpose of further use is absorbed in the
ordinary manner and after being fully dried may be formed into cartridges.
This nitro-product is considerably stronger than that formed by the processes
at present employed and cartridges with 33 % of this product exhibit an excellent
explosive power.
After
This invention has also the advantage as against the processes at present
known, that the heating seldom extends beyond 33° C. and thus the higher
heating to about 50° C. is avoided. The product may also be easily freed from
acid in contrast to the process at present known in which even without oxidation

page_text: no non-acid nitro-product can be obtained and in which, in order to nitrate
molasses to a fluid oil, glycerine must always be added which renders the nitrat-
ing process dangerous and also yields a dangerous product. This last drawback
is avoided in the present invention by the addition of animal or mineral oil to
the molasses.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A process for making an explosive from ordinary or de-saccharinated
molasses by nitration, characterised by the molasses in question which preferably
may be previously oxidised by means of a peroxide (peroxide of sodium, barium
or hydrogen) having animal or mineral oil ádded to them before nitration, sub-
stantially as herein before described.
2. As an improved article of manufacture an explosive formed from ordinary
or de-saccharinated molasses by the process substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 12th day of November 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.