Appendix II 317 



The authors with A. Luck have also investigated the actions 

 of diluted solvents upon the fibrous nitrates, under the action of 

 which they are converted into dense structureless forms with 

 elimination of the products causing instability. The process is the 

 basis of technical developments based upon the more perfect con- 

 trol of the process of gelatinisation or * colloidisation,' an 

 essential condition of the use of these products as restrained 

 or progressive explosion. (A. Luck and C. F. Cross. J. Soc. 

 Chem. Ind., 1900.) 



The most important event in connection with the scientific and 

 technical development of this subject has been the foundation in 

 Germany of the Research Institution of Neu Babelsberg, Berlin. 

 (Central Stelle fur Wissenschaftlich-technische Untersuchungen.) 

 This institution, mainly devoted to the technology of nitrocellulose 

 explosives, has published two brochures on the question of the 

 stability of the cellulose nitrates. Full abstracts of these com- 

 munications will be found in the Journal Soc. Chem. Ind. 1901, 

 609, 617 ; 1902, 1470-1. We can only notice here the main result 

 of the elaborate investigations of Prof. Will in its bearing on 

 the scientific side of the subject. It has been established that the 

 normal stable nitrates when heated at high temperatures in an 

 atmosphere of dry carbonic anhydride are continuously decom- 

 posed with a regular disengagement of nitric oxide, the decomposi- 

 tion taking place according to the typical equation : 



C 12 H I5 (N0 2 ) 5 10 - C 10 H 3 N0 8 + 4 NO + 6H 2 O + 2 CO 



and reaching the limit represented by the formation of the end- 

 product in question. The points to be noted in the composition 

 of this product are the retention of one-fifth the original nitrogen 

 and the loss of i-C atom for each C 6 unit. Until the constitution 

 of this empirical residue has been elucidated we cannot go beyond 

 the statistical relationships established. The prominent general 

 feature of the decomposition or dissociation is its regularity, i.e. 

 continuity, upon which the * stability' tests are based. It suggests 

 a similar continuity in the original ester reactions. 



We may briefly note here the publication of a book under the 

 title * Smokeless Powder, Nitrocellulose, and Theory of the Cellu- 

 lose Molecule,' by J. B. Bernadou : New York, 1901 (London : 

 Chapman & Hall, Ltd.). This work contains, in addition to the 

 author's interesting speculations and records of experimental 



