Nitrocellulose - Applications and Explosives Threshold Limits

[Cheyenne]

Hi, I would like to ask help and seek the expertise of professional chemists regarding nitrocellulose.

 

1) Can any grades of nitrocellulose (with varying nitrogen content/
degree of nitration) be used as a secondary explosive/detonator? If
not, what is the threshold limit/concentration of the nitrocellulose
grades considered as secondary explosives?
2) For nitrocellulose damped with solvent (water or alcohol),
literatures specified that the damping agent/solvent phelgmatizes or
deactivates the hazardous properties of nitrocellulose. In what does
the solvent deactivates such hazardous properties? What is the
underlying mechanism for this?
3) In what way does the degree of nitration affect the industrial
applications, physical and chemical properties of nitrocellulose?

[Enthalpy]

Hi Kimalinoa, welcome here!

 

3) I haven't seen big applications of nitrocelulose for decades. It's replaced by present-day polymers as much as possible. I burned some when it was available, and the result explains easily why manufacturers avoid it.

 

2) One standard mechanism is that the liquid absorbs heat to evaporate. Enough liquid can prevent the dangerous substance reaching its ignition temperature, pretty much like water extinguishes fire. There may be other mechanisms, specific to each substance, which I ignore in this particular case.

 

1) I have no desire to spread such information on the Internet. There are already enough explosives around. Just use a safe polymer instead, as presently nitrocellulose offers very few attractive properties. If you tell what properties you seek, we may help you choose a better polymer.

 

0) Some people would use the answers you seek to find products that can be misused as an improvised explosive.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Enthalpy

[AndresKiani]

We use Nitrocellulose occasionally in lab, when we do essays and gels. It serves as a much sturdier template to preserve the blots, instead of using gels which are extremely fragile and will degrade quickly.

 

I also have no desire to give you information on explosives and such. No respectable chemist will give you that information in this day and age.