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How to make nitrocellulose powder?


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#1 archaic

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Posted 08 May 2014 - 05:35 PM

Does anyone knows how could make powder of nitrocellulose?

#2 phildunford

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Posted 11 May 2014 - 09:27 PM

Process is freely available on the web & in books, but involves use of concentrated Nitric & Sulphuric acids & considerable work in freeing the product of residual acid (which will encourage decomposition). NC lacquers are available from pyro suppliers and some specialist paint suppliers (for old bikes & guitars!) and possibly the powder too. Much easier!


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#3 pyromaniac303

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Posted 11 May 2014 - 09:36 PM

It is also available from model aircraft hobby suppliers under the name of 'cellulose dope'. Starloc adhesives in the UK make a decent NC lacquer.


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#4 cooperman435

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Posted 11 May 2014 - 10:55 PM

be warned though that dope often has plasticisers and flame retardants in it too.



#5 Mumbles

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Posted 12 May 2014 - 03:49 AM

Powdered NC does have some specialty uses in pyrotechnics.  However, how the powder is obtained should be quite obvious if the original poster actually has any idea what these are. 



#6 Mortartube

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Posted 12 May 2014 - 09:20 AM

Even if he doesn't know what it is used for, he could at least give it a shot. :)


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#7 Peret

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Posted 14 May 2014 - 03:25 AM

There are different grades of nitrocellulose, depending on whether one, two or three of the -OH ions on each monomer are replaced by -NO3 ions. Which kind you get depends on the strength of the acid used in the process. Lacquers and ping-pong balls use lesser grades of nitration. Only the fully nitrated kind (all three -OH ions) explodes. To make this kind requires exceedingly nasty fuming acids and definitely falls into the "don't try this at home" category. What you get, however, is not a powder. It looks exactly like the material - paper, cotton, woodpulp - that you started with. To powder it, I would dissolve it in acetone, leave it in an open container for the acetone to evaporate and then rasp away the hard glassy residue with a coarse file.

 

Probably the easiest way to get hold of a small quantity of the powdered kind for dragons eggs, etc. is to take it out of a shotgun cartridge. Nearly everyone knows a farmer.



#8 archaic

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Posted 18 May 2014 - 08:27 AM

thank you guys, you all helped me. now i know a little about it and i just want to privately chat with you. thank you again.






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