Gunpowder

History

The powder precursors probably appear in China about the 6th century. The first attested hard copy seems to be the Wujing Zongyao (or Wu ching tzung yao according to the translators) which would date from the neighborhoods of 1044. This work whose title can result in general Principes of Traditional of the war gives a method of manufacture of grenades to blasting powder, of which the principal effect still seems to be the noise. It seems that with the neighborhoods of 1130, of the tubes of bamboo filled with blasting powder were used as " lance-flammes". Arrows inserted in such a device would have constituted the following stage towards the " weapons with feux".

At the 13th century, the grenades with cast iron body appeared. And the first Chinese guns/metal mortars (bronzes) would go back to the 14th century. Rockets seem to be developed as of the end of, beginning of the 15th century. Such rockets seem “seriously” to be used in Europe only from, 19th century, inter alia by the English during the Napoleonean wars (fused of " Congreve").

The techniques of manufacture of the powder would have been transmitted to the world Arabo-Persian between the 8th century and the 9th century. However its “known” use rather seems to date from the 13th century, with written mentions of composition containing salpetre.

It seems that this area of the world especially developed the metal grenades, and fireworks (with addition of many additives to color the flames). The use of ashes to purify the salpetre, developed in the Arabic peninsula, made it possible to multiply the power of the powders considerably.

The blasting powder arrives in Europe in the middle of the 13th century via the Islamic Civilization.

The first to describe its composition was the brother Roger Bacon, Moine Franciscain of Ilchester in the Somerset, whose writings go up in the middle of the 13th century. The work De Secretis Operibus Artis and Naturæ and of Nullitate magiæ of the Bacon brother expresses in 1257 the formula in the form of Anagramme S, probably to save an investigation of the Inquisition. Albert Large the, more known under the name of saint Albert, asserts paternity in of it mirabilibus mondi (wonders of the world). The popular legend will for its part allot it to the monk Berthold Schwartz whose name clearly shows the side symbolic system ( schwarz means black in German).

The first firearms usable appear approximately fifty years later. The first certainty of their existence is in a Manuscrit English of 1326 entitled De Notabilitatibus, Sapientia, and Prudentia Regum , written by Walter de Milemete, Chapelain of the King Edouard II of England, with the intention and for the education of the future king Edouard III.

In 1886 is invented the pyroxiline Poudre, said powder without smoke, which as its name indicates it does not release any smoke and few residues at the time of its Combustion. This powder is used today in all the contemporary weapons, because the quasi-absence of Résidu S does not clog the weapons contrary to the blasting powder.

Chemical aspects

At the 14th century and 15th century, the composition was (in masses): 6 parts of Salpetre for part of Sulfur and part of Charcoal. But later on, one finds compositions variable according to the uses.

For example:

30% of coal, 30% of Sulfur, 40% of Salpetre for the powder of mine (slow),
or 12% of coal, 10% of Sulfur, 78% of Salpetre for the powder of Hunting,
or 12,5% of coal, 12,5% of Sulfur, 75% of Salpetre for the powder known as of War.

In the fireworks, one finds rather the composition (15%, 10%,75%). This powder is a mixture of two very combustible elements (the Soufre and the coal), with a body very Oxydant: the Salpetre. The quality of the powder is due mainly to the coal used. It comes from the Bois of trees such as the Peuplier, the Aulne or the Tilleul and, by Distillation with 3 500 °C, one obtains black coal (powder of Guerre), while distillation with 300 °C gives hydrogenous charcoal (powder of Chasse).

So that the Combustion is held effectively, the three components must be ground fine powder and mixed in a very homogeneous way. For these two delicate operations, one often uses a Moulin with balls that one to little isolate in a sure place in order to limit the damage in the event of unforeseen explosion.

The blasting powder fears much moisture, contrary to its downward modern (powders Pyroxylées).

Anecdote: the blasting powder, containing Salpetre, has a taste salted because of this component. During the various European conflicts of the end of and beginning of the 19th century, the soldiers used blasting powder to season and preserve their food when salt had suddenly missed. The Salpêtre is still used nowadays as preserving (one finds some in the pork-butchery for example).

Physical aspects

Among the advantages of the blasting powder, let us note that it is not very expensive, stable and that a small quantity of energy causes the Combustion of it. Thus, can one ignite it using a Flamme, of a Impact, a Friction, a spark, or even of a Laser. He results from it that its handling is dangerous. It produces:

of abundant solid residues, especially composed of potassium sulfide, wrongly named Calamine, which clog the weapons. It is one of the reasons for which an old firearm has a strong gauge which thus increases the tolerance reduced the frequency of cleanings necessary.
of smoke, obstructing the aiming during the repeated shootings if the wind does not drive out it

For these reasons one prefers today to him the Poudre without smoke.

It should be noted that with the course the 19th century, the chemists of the time reflect at the point a process allowing to obtain grain powder, whose size can be modulated according to the use envisaged: the smaller the grains are, the more the powder obtained is known as “sharp”, i.e. it has a velocity burning high. This conditioning also makes it possible to better preserve and better to proportion the blasting powder.

Thermodynamic aspects

The blasting powder is an explosive, which means that it contains at the same time a fuel and combustive. The combustive one is the salpetre which releases from oxygen during the reaction, coming to oxidize the fuels (sulfur and carbon).

Stable for room temperature, a small contribution of localized energy suffices to start the reaction.

Because of his velocity burning to the free air, one says that the blasting powder " déflagre" , which means that the Onde of combustion (face of Flamme) moves less quickly than generated gases, thus not producing a Shock wave. Placed in a confined place which allows a rise in the pressure of gases, it clashes (generation of a shock wave) and produces an effect of rather important blast because of the volume of produced gas.

Regarded as an explosive for purpose of blast, in opposition to the explosives for breaking purpose, it was used a long time for this purpose.

The temperature of the reaction is rather high (more than 2000 K) but remains definitely lower than that obtained with modern explosives (TNT, Dynamite, pyroxiline powders), limiting the risks of burns. The addition of some chemical compounds or elements (metal particles, oxides, etc) makes it possible to modify the color of the flame obtained for the fireworks for example. The smoke released by the chemical reaction is white, rather dense, because of many particles resulting from combustion.

Legislation

The rough blasting powder is sold exclusively in arms manufacture for the private individuals, with the major people and in possession of a license of shooting or valid hunting. The allowed quantities with the sale are limited and it is the SNPE which provides the French market. Sold in plastic cans containing 500g or 1kg of powder, its use is very regulated.

The gunners using the blasting powder in France use two types of powder: the " française" and the " suisse". The French blasting powder (PNF) is famous less interesting for the shooting than the Swiss, better proportioned and more regular blasting powder.

Bonds

the farm of the powders and salpetres creation and supply powder in France (1664 - 1765) Site Stratisc.org (site dedicated to the military strategy), article in the section history.

Chapters I - components of the powder (This chapter contains in other a description of the problems of the production of salpetre, and rights very particular granted to the salpetre worker so that a production is possible)
Chapitres II - the manufacture of the powder
Chapitres III - a problematic conservation

Turgot, Anne Robert Jacques (1727-1781). Works of Turgot. Divide into volumes second. 1995. On the site of the Libraries main road of France (BNF Gallica)

Extracts from the stop of the Council of State, which converts into a control, on behalf of the king, the lease of the powders passed with Alexis Demont on June 16th, 1772. (May 1775.) (page 418)
Extracts from the conclusion reached by the Council of the king, container payment for the exploitation of the control of the powders and salpetres. (May 1775.) (page 419)

"Little story of the powder noire"
" Manufacture of the PN to the {{S|XVIII|E}} " bonds towards the articles of the encyclopedia of Diderot and Alembert concerning the blasting powder (project ARTFL)

Simple: Gunpowder

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