A I t'ruwn Uopyriyht R1!::,1·rv,·d. FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PRO­ PER'tY OF H.B.M. GOVERNMENT. NOTE Tbr inCormMion given in tliis document ia not_ to be rommunica.ted, either directly or ind1r~tl)1 , to the Pru~ or to any pel'90n nut bolJing an olllcinl po11ition in His Maj1:stv'11 Service · TEXT BOOK OF EXPLOSIVES USED IN THE SERVICE 1925 /;y Co1,m1and of lhe Army Cou,ncil, Tm,~ \Y,\.R OFFIC'E. 18tlt Febnnry. 102fi. ERRATA. (1) LIST OF FIGURES (page 6 d azq.). Fig. 6.2. Amend to read "facing page 44." 12.3. 98." •. 13.2. 108." " 13.5. 111.·· ,. 14.4. Delele. Add Fig. 14.5. Gaillard Concentrators (lo face page 121). I ,. (2) PLATE 13.8. Amend Plate to read" To face page 116." (25/1895):r: W. fill-PP. 66 S. 5/26 B. & 8., Ltd. Gp. 25 PICTORIAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CORDITE. SHEET 1. 2 3 4 5 2.1. ) NEWLY MADE CORDITE. '" J: SHOWING RANGE IN COLOUR. 5. EARLY STAGE OF CORROSION OF CORDITE MD SIZE 16. (P 860S) Wt. :!li,:Ptg/3-11,, 3075. 4/24. W.L, 740. PICTORIAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CORDITE. SHEET 2 6 7 8 9 6. INTERMEDIATE STAGE OF CORROSION OF CORDITE MD. SIZE 19. 7. ADVANCED STAGE OF CORROSION OF CORDITE MD. SIZE 16. 8. ADVANCED ST AGE OF CORROSION OF CORDITE MD. SIZE 8. 9. CORDITE CONTAINING AIR BUBBLES. ., ,) PREFACE This volume being a "Text-book" presents general principles rather than an exact description of details which would properly be found in a " Treatise.'' A fair knowledge of both Chemistry and Physics is assumed, but a short Glossary of Terms is included in Appendix III. Chapters I to XIV (inclusive) are based on lectures delivered to the Advanced Class at the Artillery College, Woolwich. The large (kilogram) Calorie is used for purposes of illustration throughout the book. Physical constants are, as far as possible, drawn from Kaye and Laby's Tables of Physical Constants, 1921. The ring formula of Keknle is taken to illustrate the molecular constitution of Benzene. Flow Diagrams are used freely ; these summarise concisely the general chemical and physical processes in explosives manufacture. Illustrations are numbered consecutively throughout each chapter, the number of the latter being placed immediately before the number of the illustration. The Tables are lettered alphabetically throughout each chapter. the letter in each case being preceded by the number :;i the chapter. thus :- Table 4.A. Figures in parenthesis in the text, or at the encl of a paragraph, are references to Appendix I. The term "shock of discharge " is used as being familiar, though it is recognized that the phenomenon so designated is a rapid acceleration ancl not a "shock. " 1n the Glossary of Terms, (Appendix III) the definitions given are only intended to apply to the terms in the sense in which they are used in this book. (B 28- 23l)z A 2 r, CONTENTS. A.-GENll:RA.L. C'ITAl'TF.R. PAGE. I. Introduction. Definition of an ExploR-iYe. Thermo-chemical causes of the Explosive Effect .. .. 11 II. Classification of Explosives: Service classification; Chemical classification. Mode of Decomposition as determined by the initiating effect : Burning, Explosion, Detonation .. .. 1.5 III. Historic:;-.,! Deve1opment of Explosives for Service purposes. Essential requirements of a, Substance to be used for (a) A High Explosive; (b) A Propellant. Development of Initiating Systems 22 B.-PHYSICAL AND CHEIDCAL PROPERTIES OF EXPLOSIVES. r,~. Heat, Gases, Pressure and Temperature of Explosion 30 ,~. Velocity of Detonation, Shattering Effect, InsensitivenesEt, of High Explosives 36 C.-1\IANUFACTURE OF HTOH EXPLOSIVES A.ND 8TJBSTA.NCES ENTERING INTO THEIR COMJ>OSI'rION. YI. Picric Acid, Dinitrophenol, Lyddite, Shellite, Picric Powder 42 YII. Trotyl, Nitrogen Fixation, Ammonium Nitrate, Amatols 50 VIII. Tetryl . 68 IX. Mixed Explosives other than Gunpowders, Amatols and Initiators 72 D. --MANUFACTURE OF PROPY.LLANTS AND SUBSTANOES ENTERING INTO THEIR Co!trrosJT10N. X. Gtmpowder SU XI. Nitroglycerine . .. Si XII. Nitrocelluloses, Guncotton, Soluble and Insoluble Nitrocellulose .. , 92 XIII. Cordites, N.C.T. and Balfatite 104 XTV. Waste Acid RecoYery... ll8 E.-CHEMICAL STABILITY OF EXPLOSIVES, XV. Stability and Tests 122 F.-INITU.TORS. XVI. Mercuric Fulminate. Cap a.nd Friction Compositions. Lead 128 Azide ... G.-M.ISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS. XVII. Tlluminating, Signal, Smoke and Incendiary Compositions 133 H.-SAFRTY PRECAUTIONS. XVIII. Safety Precautions 138 APPENDICES. APPENDIX. r.10E. J. BibUography of Works on Expl0siveF. References to Technical Works and J our1rnJs 146 IT. Physic~! Data for Explosi,es 14i III. Glossary of Terms 150 IV. "Short Dictionary of ExplosivC'~ '' ... LIST OF FIGURES. FRONTISPIECE.-Pictorial Representations 'of Cordite, showing decom- '.l position . facing page CHAPTER I. CErAl'TER H. Fig. 2.1.--Velocity-Time curve of an Rxplosive Wave in a Gaseous Mixture of Oxygen and Hydrogen 20 CIIAP"l">:R III. CHAPTER IV. Fig. 4.1.-Diagrammatic Represent~tion of the Hopkinson Pressure Jlar ... 33 CHAPTER V. Fig. -5.1.-Diagrammatic Representation of Mcttegang Recor<ler 3i Fig. 5.2.-Dautnche's Method for Determining Velocities of Detona- tion... 38 Fig. 5.3.-Falling Weight Apparatus H CHAPTER VI. Fig. 6.1.-Flow Diagram for Manufacture of Picric Acid 44 Fig. 6.2.-Picric Acid Ma.nufacture. Pot ProcesR 45 Fig. 8.3.-Picric Acid Manufocture. ContinuouR ProceRs 45 CHAPTER VII. Fig. 7.1.-Nitration of 11oluene 30 Fig. 7.2.-Flow Diagram for Quecnsferry Process for Manufacture of ~R~ M Fig. 7.3.-•Diagra.m of T.N.rr. Section .. ;)4 LIST OF FIGVRES-(continued). C'HAPTER \'II-(continued). Fig. 7.4.-Section of Nitrator (Queemferry Proceso) ... Fig. 7 . .5.-Diagrn.m of Pmification House 56 Fig. 7.6.-Diagram of Oldbury Continuous Process for the Nitra.tio11 of Toluene . , . Fjg, 7.7.-Flow Diagram for Freeth Process for lUanufacture of Ammonium Nitrate 62 CHAPTER YIU. Fig. 8.1.-Derivation of Tetryl from Aniline 60 Fig. R.2.-Flow Diagram for the Ma.nufact-ure of Crude Tetryl 70 CHAPTER IX. C.rrA.PTF.R X. Fig. 10. l.--Gunpowder In corpora tor l\Iill CrrAPTER XI. Fig. 11.1.--Nitrator-Separator for Nitroglycerine l\fanufa.cture 87 Fig. 11.2.-Flow Dfagram for the Manufacture of Nitroglycerine 88 Fig. 11.3.-Interior of Nitrator House showing Nitrator-Separntor. 89 CHAPTER XII. Fig. 12. l .-Photomir.rograph of Cotton Cellulose 9j Fig. 12.2.-Flow Diagram for Nitration of Cellulose 9i Fig. l 2.3.-Machines for the Preliminary Treatment of Cotton Cellulose 99 Fig. 12.J.-Cotton Drier ... 99 Fig. 12.5.-Sect,ion of Displacement Nitrntor JOO Fig. 12.6.-Nitration House. (Manufacture of Nitrocellulose) 100 Fig. 12.7.-Beaters... 101 Fig. 12.8.--Purification House. (Manufacture- of Nitrocellulose) 102 CHAPTER XIII. Fig. 13. l.-Flow Diagram for l\Ia-nufacture of Cordite l\f.D. ]08 Fig. 13.2.-Cordite Paste :Mixing Trough ]09 Fig. 13.3.-Incorporator. (Cordite Manufacture) 109 Fig. 13.4.-Cordite Press ... llO Fig. 13.5.-Rifle Cordite Preas ... llO Fig. 13.6.-Gauging Machine lll Fig. 13.7.-Flow Diagram for the Manufacture of N.C.T. ll5 Fig. 13.8.-Flow Diagram for the Manufacturo of Ballistite •·. ll6 :Fig. 13.9.-Rallistite Incorporating Rolls lli CrrAPTEr. XIV. Fig. 14. l.-Circulation of Acids in an ExpJosives l!""actory ll8 Fig. 14.2.-Column Denitrator U9 ]:Oig. 14.3(a).-Section of Kessler Concentrator ... 120 LIS'r OF FWURES-(co11tinucd). CH.,PTER XI\' -{0011lin1ied). PAGB. Fig. !4.3(b).-Photograph of Kessler Concentrators ... 120 l?i.g. 14.4.-Gencra] Arrangement of Sulphuric Acid Conoe.ntration Plant 121 CHAl'l'F.R xv. Fig. 15.1.-Apparatns for Abel's Heat Test ... 12,, Fig. 15.2(a).-Genera.l Arrangement of App1tratus for Silver Vessel Test 126 Fig. 15.2(b).-Detail of Silvered Vessel ... 126 Fig. l5.3(a).-General Arrangement of Apparatus for Vacuum Test... 120 Fig. 15.~(b).-Dctail of Vacuum Tube and Manomete1· 126 Fig. 15.4(a).-General Arrangement of Will Test 127 Fig. 15.4(b).-Detail of Will Apparatus .. 127 Fig. 15.4(c).-Test Tube for Will Test 127 Fig. 15.5(a).-Gc-nf'ral Arrangement of Bergmann and Junk Test ... ] 28 Fig. 15.5(b).-Test Tube and Absorption Bulbs for Bergmann and ,Junk Test.... 129 Cru.. PT.ER XVI. CH.APTER XVII. CHAPTER XVIII. LIST OF TABLES. CHAPTER J. CHAPTER 11. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IY. Table 4.A.-Heat, Gases, Pressure and Temperature of Explmdon of Pi-opellauts . 34 Table 4.B.-Heat an<l Gn.se8 on Detona.tfon 3J CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CIUPTER VII. Table 7.a.-Methods of Manufacture of Amatols 6.} LIST OF TABLE8-(continued). PAOE. CHAPTER lX. Table 9.A.-Percentage Composition of Blasting Gelatine, Geliguite and Gelatine Dynamite... ... 75 C1<Al'TER x. CII.U'TF.R XII. Table 12.a.-Constitution and Pl"Operties of Nitrocellulose 93 Cllil'TER XIII. Table 13.A.-Constitution and Properties of Propellants 105 CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER xv. CHAPTER XVI. Table 16.a.-Pereentage Composition of Percussion Cap Mixtures 130 CHAPTER XVII. CHAPTER XVIII. APPENDIX I. APPENDIX II. Table II.A.-Table of Physical Constants for Explosives 147 'fable Il.B.-Results of Measurements with Hopkinson Pressure Bar... J.19 APPENDIX III. Table of I.M.l\1. Standard Laboratory Screens .. 152 APPE:<DIX IY. 11 A-GENERAL. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. An explosive is a substance whose function is to exert a sudden intense pressure on its surroundings when suitably initiated. This pressure is developed by the decomposition of the explosive into gas, with a simultaneous liberation of heat. The fundamental features possessed by an explosive are thus :- (i) Potential energy in virtue of its chemical constitution, which is independent of external agencies.