Propellants


 What is a Propellant?

A propellant is a material
that produces pressurized gas
that fills the interior of an
ammunition cartridge or the
chamber of a gun or cannon,
leading to the expulsion of a
bullet or shell (gunpowder,
smokeless powder, and large
gun propellants).
Rockets also use propellants
for their motion.
History of Propellants

1. Black Powder

2. Smokeless Powder (Cellulose

Nitrate)
 Types

Propellant powders are of two kinds:
1. Single base powder
2.Double base powder
Manufacture of
Cellulose Nitrate

 Introduction

• Nitrocellulose is obtained from cellulose and
nitric acid. All given sample of cellulose
contains a wide distribution of molecules, all
having the empirical formula of
[C6H7O2(OH)3]n
• Cellulose nitrate (nitrocellulose) is a nitric
acid ester used in lacquers and explosives as a
propellant. It is also known as guncotton or
nitro cotton.
Pure Cellulose Nitrate is yellowish white cotton-like filaments
 Uses

Cellulose nitrate has to be the most important
ingredient in the explosives field. It is the basis
for most propellants, many rocket propellants
and the foundation for countless commercial
blasting explosives.
 Chemical Reaction


 C6H7O2(OH)3 + 3HNO3 + H2SO4

C6H7O2(NO3)3 + 3H2O + H2SO4
Sources of Cellulose


Cotton Wood fiber

 Process

 Chemically the reaction itself is an esterification and not
a nitration. An esterification is an equilibrium reaction.
The degree of esterification can be controlled by the con-
centration of water in the reacting mixture. The higher the
water content, the less the degree of esterification.
Nitrocellulose with a very high degree of esterification
(nitrogen content higher than 12.6 %) is used as gun
cotton. It is proper to use the name cellulose nitrate
rather than nitrocellulose because the reaction is an
esterification but not nitration reaction.
 Steps Involved in Process

 Purification of raw material
 Bleaching
 Nitration
 Acid separation
 Pressure boiling
 Beating
 Poaching
 Dehydration and Alcoholization
 Formation of granulars
Purification: Raw cotton linters and wood fibers are boiled with NaOH to
purify the cellulose present in it.

Bleaching: Removal of undesired colors.

Nitration: One nitrator charge is formed by 14.5 kg of purified cellulose. The

cellulose is agitated with approximately 682 kg of mixed acid at 30 C for about
25 min. the composition of acid used averages HNO3 21%, H2SO4 63%, N2O4
0.5% , H2O 15.5%.
C6H7O2(OH)3 + 3HNO3 + H2SO4
C6H7O2(NO3)3 + 3H2O + H2SO4
All the cellulose is converted to Cellulosenitrate in the nitrator because the
amount of acid is very high and this acid does not leave any cellulose
unconverted.

Acid Separation: After nitration, the nitrocellulose is separated from the

spend acid in the centrifuges and nitrocellulose produced is sent to next part of
the plant.
Pressure boiling: The cellulose nitrate is boiled and washed with
water to remove H2SO4 present.

Beating: Now NC is finely pulped and washed again in a beater.

Na2CO3 is also added to neutralize any remaining acid.

Poaching: This NC is again washed in a poacher at boiling condition.

The purpose of poaching is to decompose the sulphate esters produced
and removal of salt and CO2 produced in the beater.
H2SO4+Na2CO3 Na2SO4+H2O+CO2
(The acid remaining in the product became the cause of some of the
nasty explosions in propellant factories in the late 1800s).

Dehydration and Alcoholization: Alcohol is added to replace the

water present.

Formation of granulars: The nitrated cellulose is broken up and

made into a dense colloid by mixing with alcohol, ether, diphenylamine
and other modifying agents.
 Nitrogen Content

Nitrocellulose with a very high degree of esterification
(nitrogen content higher than 12.6 %) is used as gun
cotton. nitrocellulose with a nitrogen content of between
10.7 % and 12.3 %. This is used as a binder in printing
inks and coatings. Modern military smokeless powder
contains about 13.15% of nitrogen.
 Why nitrogen content is important
in explosives?

 Nitrogen gas, N2, is a very inert, stable gas; it is two atoms
connected by a triple bond. The delta-H of formation of
N2 gas from two nitrogen atoms is about -950 kJ which
means it gives off a LOT of energy! So explosives have
nitrogen atoms in them and the more nitrogen atoms that
are available to come together and form N2 gas, the more
energy will be released, the bigger the boom!
 
I’ve added details about those points which are not present in
book. If I have forgotten to add anything, feel free to ask. 
Umair Siddiqui