Part 5 (1/2)
nitrogen
Ennea-nitro-cellulose C_{24}H_{31}O_{20}(NO_{2})_{9} = 1198 per cent
nitrogen
Octo-nitro-cellulose C_{24}H_{32}O_{20}(NO_{2})_{8} = 1113 per cent
nitrogen (= old di-nitro-cellulose) Hepta-nitro-cellulose C_{24}H_{33}O_{20}(NO_{2})_{7} = 1019 per cent
nitrogen
Hexa-nitro-cellulose C_{24}H_{34}O_{20}(NO_{2})_{6} = 917 per cent
nitrogen
Penta-nitro-cellulose C_{24}H_{35}O_{20}(NO_{2})_{5} = 804 per cent
nitrogen
Tetra-nitro-cellulose C_{24}H_{36}O_{20}(NO_{2})_{4} = 677 per cent
nitrogen (= oldseries of nitrates exists It is at any rate certain that whatever strength of acids may be used, and whatever te the nitration, that the product formed always consists of a mixture of the soluble and insoluble nitro-cellulose
Theoretically 100 parts of cotton by weight should produce 2184 parts of gun-cotton, but in practice the yield is a good deal less, both in the case of gun-cotton or collodion-cotton In speaking of soluble and insoluble nitro-cellulose, it is their behaviour, when treated with a solution consisting of 2 parts ether and 1 of alcohol, that is referred to There is, however, another very important difference, and that is their different solubility in nitro-glycerine The lower nitrates or soluble forlycerine under the influence of heat, a te required At lower temperatures the dissolution is very imperfect indeed; and after the materials have been left in contact for days, the threads of the cotton can still be distinguished The insoluble forlycerine It can, however, be made to dissolve[A] by the aid of acetone or acetic ether Both or rather all the forms of nitro-cellulose can be dissolved in acetone or acetic ether They also dissolve in concentrated sulphuric acid, and the penta-nitrate in nitric acid at about 80 or 90 C
[Footnote A: Or rather to form a transparent jelly]
The penta-nitrateprocess, devised by Eder:--The gun-cotton is dissolved in concentrated nitric acid at 90 C, and reprecipitated by the addition of concentrated sulphuric acid After cooling to 0 C, and er volume of water, the precipitated nitrate is washed ater, then with alcohol, dissolved in ether-alcohol, and again precipitated ater, when it is obtained pure This nitrate is soluble in ether-alcohol, and slightly in acetic acid, easily in acetone, acetic ether, andpotash (KOH) solution converts into the di-nitrate C_{12}H_{18}O_{8}(NO_{3})_{2} The hexa-nitrate is not soluble in acetic acid or methyl-alcohol
The lower nitrates known as the tetra- and tri-nitrates are forether when cellulose is treated with a mixture of weak acids, and allowed to remain in contact with them for a very short time (twenty minutes) They cannot be separated from one another, as they all dissolve equally in ether-alcohol, acetic ether, acetic acid, methyl-alcohol, acetone, amyl acetate, &c
As far as the manufacture of explosive bodies is concerned, the two forun-cotton or the hexa- nitrate (once regarded as tri-nitro-cellulose), which is also known as insoluble gun-cotton, and the soluble forun-cotton, which is also known as collodion, and consists of a mixture of several of the lower nitrates It is probable that it chiefly consists, however, of the next highest nitrate to gun-cotton, as the theoretical percentage of nitrogen for this body, the penta-nitrate, is 1275 per cent, and analyses of commercial collodion-cotton, entirely soluble in ether-alcohol, often give as high a percentage as 126
We shall only describe the manufacture of the two forms known as soluble and insoluble, and shall refer to theun-cotton and collodion-cotton The folloould, however, be the foren of the complete series:--
Hexa-nitro-cellulose C_{12}H_{14}O_{4}(NO_{3})_{6} 1414 per cent
nitrogen
Penta-nitro-cellulose C_{12}H_{15}O_{5}(NO_{3})_{5} 1275 per cent
nitrogen
Tetra-nitro-cellulose C_{12}H_{16}O_{6}(NO_{3})_{4} 1111 per cent
nitrogen
Tri-nitro-cellulose C_{12}H_{17}O_{7}(NO_{3})_{3} 913 per cent
nitrogen
Di-nitro-cellulose C_{12}H_{18}O_{8}(NO_{3})_{2} 765 per cent
nitrogen
Mono-nitrocellulose C_{12}H_{19}O_{9}(NO_{3}) 380 per cent
nitrogen
[Footnote A: Berthelot takes C_{24}H_{40}O_{20} as the forhest nitrate as (C_{24}H_{18}(NO_{3}H)_{11}O_{9}) _Compt Rend_, 1882, p 132]
~Properties of Gun-Cotton~--The absolute density of gun-cotton is 15