The principle of action is that diphenylamine combines with the nitrogen oxide gas released by the slow decomposition of nitrocellulose to ease or inhibit the autocatalytic decomposition of the nitrate group, thereby extending the storage time of the single base drug. However, because diphenylamine is weakly alkaline,
The general addition amount is 1%-2%. If it exceeds 2%, it will cause the 'saponification' of nitrocellulose, resulting in a reduction in the chemical stability of the single base drug, which is not conducive to storage.
This is an important ingredient in the single-base drug formula. It does not matter whether the dosage is one point more or one point less. It must be added accurately.
There are countless single-base drug formulas. The single-base drug formula developed by Yu Hua has a diphenylamine content of about 1.7%.
According to the formula proportion, Yu Hua, who has a natural complexion, precisely added 1.7% of diphenylamine to glue-bound nitrocellulose to improve chemical stability, and then added camphor as an insensitivity agent at a proportion of 1.5% to increase the burning speed of gunpowder and obtain a professional
It belongs to the "increasing intensity" performance in the field of gunpowder and improves the ballistic performance of gunpowder.
After adding the auxiliary ingredients of the single base drug and setting them aside for the time being, Yu Hua turned his attention to the dried Grade A nitrocellulose and put them all into the beaker.
After all the ingredients of the single-base propellant were put in, Yu Hua picked up the glass rod with his right hand and put it into the cup and stirred continuously to mix it thoroughly.
Xu Rui stayed aside and observed silently, taking note of Yu Hua's mixing process and speed.
After a few minutes, the two kinds of nitrocellulose in the beaker are completely mixed, the color is light yellow, and the shape is tight and loose, similar to dough.
A single base medicine for guns, freshly baked.
"Huh..." Yu Hua took out the glass rod stained with some medicinal liquid and breathed a sigh of relief. After working for so long, it was finally done.
Xu Rui's voice came: "Sir, was it successful?"
"Succeeded, Ruizi, do you understand?" Yu Hua nodded, turned to look at Xu Rui, and saw that his face was full of curiosity, his eyes were full of curiosity, he smiled, and said to Xu Rui.
"I understand the configuration steps, but I don't understand the rest." Xu Rui was startled when he heard Yu Hua's voice, and answered truthfully.
Xu Rui has basically memorized the final preparation process of the entire single base drug and the proportions of various materials put in, but as for the functions and effects of the various ingredients, he does not know.
In one sentence, he knows how to do it, but he doesn't know why he does it.
Yu Hua asked: "How much camphor should be put in?"
"1.5%." Xu Rui heard this and knew that Mr. Yu Hua was testing himself, so he recalled it and gave an accurate number.
"At which step should graphite be used?" Yu Hua nodded and continued to ask.
Xu Rui thought about the question carefully, and after two seconds, gave the answer: "Graphite is added after the gunpowder is granulated and dried, which is the first and last step."
"Yes, I remember it very clearly. Do you have the confidence to prepare the second propellant?" Yu Hua did not hesitate to praise him, nodded with satisfaction, and asked.
Xu Rui was silent for a second, his eyes showing a trace of desire: "Yes."
"Ruizi, go get me the 35-mesh screen and make granules first. Then you can prepare the second propellant later." Yu Hua nodded and arranged.
After mixing, the next step is extrusion and granulation.
The granulation technology originated more than 500 years ago, which greatly improved the explosive power of black powder. This was a revolution in the field of gunpowder technology. So far, gunpowder granulation has become the core process in the field of gunpowder.
The requirement for propellant particles for guns is that the smaller the better, the advantages of small particles are very obvious, firstly, the combustion is uniform, secondly, the combustion efficiency is high, thirdly, the combustion chamber pressure can be modified by artificially controlling the particle density.
If high energy level is the tireless goal of every gunpowder scientist, then the miniaturization of gunpowder is the eternal dream of military weapons.
The current mainstream gunpowder particle technology can achieve a technological level in the range of 35 mesh to 40 mesh. A mesh is a unit of measurement, indicating the number of holes in one inch. 2 mesh is 2 times 2, which is equal to 4 holes.
40 mesh is equal to 40 times 40, which is equal to 1600 holes.
For the field of gunpowder particles, the higher the mesh number and the smaller the particle size, the higher the technology.
After hearing Yu Hua's arrangement, Xu Rui turned and left. Not long after, he returned to the console with a 35-mesh metal screen and handed it to Yu Hua.
Yu Hua took over the new and clean metal screen, placed a container with a layer of graphite underneath, then placed the moist liquid in the beaker on the metal screen and squeezed it hard.
The function of graphite is to increase the filling density and electrical conductivity of gunpowder in the barrel, and to enhance the luster of gunpowder. This is also the reason why most gunpowder in later generations is black.
They do not use black gunpowder, but 'black gunpowder' rolled with graphite.
In an instant, the squeezed wet liquid passes through the pores of the metal screen and turns into extremely fine cylindrical shapes.
"Ruizi, cut." Yu Hua said quickly.
"yes!"
Xu Rui picked up the prepared metal plate, gently slid it out of the other side of the screen, cut the grains one by one, broke them apart, and formed granular shapes. All of them fell into the container below and were contaminated with graphite.
Extrusion, cutting.
The entire process is completely handmade.
Not long after, the container was filled with dark granular propellants, and the first single base powder for the gun was completed.
"Ruizi, take it to the kitchen and dry it. You can prepare the second propellant on the other side of the operating table. Pay attention to safety." Yu Hua said to Xu Rui.
"Ruizi understands." After hearing Yu Hua's arrangement, Xu Rui nodded and headed to the kitchen carrying a container full of finished single-base propellants.
The kitchen has become a relatively closed space, where briquettes are burned, and the heat released turns the entire room into a 'drying room' with a temperature of about 45 degrees Celsius. It is not very formal, but it is practical.
"The process of manual preparation of single-base propellant in the laboratory has been completely understood. With the basic industrial level of the Eighth Route Army, it is not a problem to prepare manual propellant. There is no urgent need for the mechanical production technology of single-base propellant. Priority is given to the development of double-base propellant.
Build a good foundation and then upgrade." After Xu Rui left, Yu Hua picked up his experimental notebook and Parker pen, thinking and recording the experimental steps.
After recording, he turned his attention to the beaker containing nitroglycerin and took a deep breath, then began to prepare the nitrocellulose used in the double-base propellant.
Lay the foundation and then upgrade.
You can’t rush scientific research, and you can’t rush explosives... even more.
Configuring single-base propellants is not particularly dangerous, but developing double-base propellants has the highest risk factor.
That's right, Yu Hua's purpose today is not to master the single-base propellant, but to prepare for the second gunpowder technology...
Double base propellant!
As the eldest brothers in the nitro compound family, the two brothers nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin, who take care of each other, do not have much effect at all.
Taken separately, the former can be used as propellant for guns, and the latter can be used as explosives and propellants, propellant additives, etc.
If the two are combined, it will become an artillery propellant that is ridiculous to talk about and a rocket propellant that has not yet shown its charm to the world.
Not to mention mortar charges and large-caliber gun charges, the Katyusha rocket launcher was an epochal during World War II. The M-13 rocket used was a solid double-base propulsion developed based on nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine as a skeleton.
agent fuel.
Rocket propellant, this is the beginning of a dream.
If you want to plan advanced weapons, you must lay a solid foundation. In Yu Hua's idea, no matter whether the Eighth Route Army will use rocket launchers in the future, the basic technology must be mastered.
I don't have to, but I must have it.
To have or not to have is not the same thing.
Yu Hua first developed the mortar charge with the lowest technical content. As the artillery propellant, the nitrocellulose used in the double-base charge was D-grade nitrocellulose with low nitrogen content and a solubility of about 98% in alcohol ether.
I wrote down the detailed steps in my experimental notebook, and then followed the research and development steps to prepare D-grade nitrocellulose.
Prepare mixed acid, put in refined cotton, and wait for the esterification reaction to complete for testing to confirm the quality and grade. When Xu Rui carefully prepared the second single-base propellant, a D-level nitrification product known as "weak cotton"
Cotton production is completed.
Immediately afterwards, Yu Hua looked at the nitroglycerin that had been prepared.
Open the lid, lift the beaker, tilt the mouth of the cup, and slowly pour the light yellow viscous liquid into the weak cotton with low nitrogen content.
Nitroglycerin is strictly defined as a nitrate ester energetic plasticizer, which can improve the plasticity of gunpowder skeleton materials and significantly increase the energy level of propellant. The higher the nitroglycerin content in nitrocellulose, the higher its energy density, explosion temperature and sensitivity.
big.
This is the soul of the entire double-base drug formula.
Without nitroglycerin, the energy density and comprehensive performance of nitrocellulose alone would not be able to meet the firing needs of large-caliber artillery.
For heavy weapons equipped in the military field, the main requirements for propellants are high energy level, low ablative property, high accretion property, reasonable grain column shape, less flame and less smoke.
The first requirement is a high energy level.
If the propellant does not have enough energy density, the lethality, penetration, muzzle velocity, ballistic performance, range and other parameters of the fired shell will be seriously affected.
It is worth mentioning that when nitroglycerin is added to nitrocellulose as an energetic plasticizer, its mechanical sensitivity will be greatly reduced, and it will no longer explode when touched.
These are all valuable experiences gained by human ancestors after bloody experiments on the road to controlling gunpowder. Yu Hua remembers them clearly.
At this moment, Xu Rui, who was preparing the single-base medicine next to him, stopped his movements and stared intently at Yu Hua, who was pouring nitroglycerin. He held his breath and did not even dare to take a breath.
After getting some popular science from Yu Hua, he finally understood how powerful this bottle of yellow liquid was.
Pour in about 40% of the total nitroglycerin, Yu Hua puts down the beaker containing the remaining nitroglycerin, then picks up the glass rod and inserts it into the cup for stirring.
The movements are slight and not large.
The mixing process is extremely dangerous. If you move too much, it will be over.
With Yu Hua's careful stirring, the nitroglycerin and D-grade nitrocellulose in the beaker came into full contact, causing a chemical reaction and slowly dissolving together.