The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives - Sciencemadness Dot Org

ABSORPTION OF MOISTURE 313
ence is evidence of instability, and no powder in which the
diphenylmtrosamme is exhausted is suitable for further storage
and use.
Absorption of Moisture 18
Nitrocellulose itself is hygroscopic, but its tendency to take up
moisture is modified greatly by other substances with which it is
incorporated. Colloided with nitroglycerin in the absence of
solvent, it yields a product which shows no tendency to take up
moisture from a damp atmosphere Colloided with ether-alcohol,
as in the case of the poudre B and the straight pyrocellulose
powders which were used m the first World War, it yields a
powder which is hygroscopic both because of the hygroscopicity
of the nitrocellulose itself and because of the hygroscopicity of
the alcohol and ether which it contains. In water-dried powder
the alcohol and ether of the surface layer have been largely
removed or replaced with water, the hygroscopicity of the surface
layer is reduced, and the interior of the grain is prevented
to a considerable extent from attracting to itself the moisture
which it would otherwise attract In certain coated and progressive
burning powders, the surface layers are made up of material
of greatly reduced hygroscopicity and the interiors are rendered
inaccessible to atmospheric influences.
The tendency of straight nitrocellulose powder to take up
moisture and the effect of the absorbed moisture in reducing the
ballistic power of the powder are shown by the table below.
Period of exposure, hrs
Total volatiles, %
External moisture, % ...
Residual solvent, %
Velocity, ft per sec. . .
Pressure, lb per sq. in.
0
3.26
102
2.24
1706 6
31,100
24
3 55
115
2 40
1699 0
31,236
48
3 71
140
2 31
1685 4
30,671
72
3 84
147
237
1680 4
29,636
96
3 93
157
235
1669 0
28,935
A sample of water-dried powder was exposed to an atmosphere
practically saturated with water vapor. Portions were removed
each day; one part was fired in the gun, and another part was
analyzed for total volatile matter (TV) and for volatile matter
driven off by an hour's heating at 100° (external moisture, EM).
Davis, Army Ordnance, 2, 9 (1921).