|
Black powder is a type of gunpowder invented in the 9th Century and practically the only propellant and explosive known until the middle of the 19th Century. Used as an explosive and a propellant in firearms until the early 20th Century it was quickly superceded by other substances such as smokeless powders and dynamite.
Black powder is quite good propellant, but rather poor for an explosive. It is still manufactured today, primarily for fireworks, model rocket engines, and for use in reproduction weapons.
Description
Black powder consists of the granular ingredients sulfur (S), charcoal (provides carbon to the reaction) and saltpeter (saltpetre, potassium nitrate, KNO3; provides oxygen to the reaction).
The optimum proportions for gunpowder are: saltpetre 74.64%, sulfur 11.85%, charcoal 13.51%. A more basic ratio is: 2 parts sulfur, 3 parts charcoal, 15 parts saltpetre.
For the most powerful black powder "meal" a wood charcoal is used. The best wood for the purpose is buckthorn, but others such as balsa or willow can be used. The ingredients are mixed as thoroughly as possible. This is achieved using a ball mill with non-sparking grinding apparatus (lead), or similar device.
Black powder is also corned to change its burn rate. Corning is a process which first compresses the fine black powder "meal" into blocks with a fixed density (1.7 g/cm³). The blocks are then broken up into granules. These granules are then sorted by size to give the various grades of black powder. Standard grades of black powder run from the coarse Fg grade used in large bore rifles and small cannon though FFg (medium and smallbore rifles), FFFg (pistols), and FFFFg (smallbore, short pistols and priming flintlocks).
Although black powder is not a true high explosive, the United States Department of Transportation classifies it as a "Class A High Explosive" for shipment because it is so easily ignited. Highly destructive explosions at fireworks manufacturing plants are rather common events, especially in Asia. Complete manufactured devices containing black powder are usually classified as "Class C Firework", "Class C Model Rocket Engine", etc. for shipment because they are harder to ignite than the loose powder.
History Gunpowder was invented in China in the 9th century. The invention appears to have been by accident by alchemists seeking the elixir of immortality, and the first references to gunpowder appear as warnings in alchemy texts not to mix certain materials together. By the 10th century, gunpowder began to be used for military purposes in China in the form of rockets and explosive bombs fired from catapults. The first reference to cannon appears in 1126 when oil bamboo tubes were used to launch missiles at the enemy. Eventually bamboo tubes were replaced by metal tubes, and the oldest cannon in China dates from 1290. From China, the military use of gunpower appears to have spread to Japan and Europe. It was used by the Mongols against the Hungarians in 1241 and was mentioned by Roger Bacon in 1248. By the mid 14th century, early cannons are mentioned extensively both in Europe and in China.
In China as in Europe, the use of gunpowder to produce firearms and cannon was delayed by difficulties in creating metal tubes that would contain an explosion. This problem may have led to the false myth that the Chinese used their invention only for the manufacture of fireworks. In fact, gunpowder powered cannon and rockets were extensively used in the Mongol conquests of the 13th century and were a feature of East Asian warfare afterwards. The short squat and thick city walls of Beijing for example, were specifically designed to withstand an artillery attack, and the Ming dynasty moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing specifically because the hills around Nanjing were good locations for invaders to place artillery.
Gunpowder, when first invented, was carried in the horns of animals, for safety and convenience; though some time afterwards placed in flat leather cases or bottles, invented by the Germans, and called "flaskes." A remarkably curious one of this description, evidently of the time of Queen Elizabeth, is here represented, and is formed of ivory, somewhat in the shape of a stag's horn; the ornaments on it are carved in a good bold style, and represent an armed figure on horseback in full chase. The "flaske" is tipped at the end with silver, and measures about eight inches in length. The 15th through 17th century saw widespread development in gunpowder technology both in Europe and the Far East. Advancements in metallurgy led to small weapons and the development of muskets. Cannon technology in Europe gradually outpaced that of China and these technological improvements transferred back to China through Jesuit missionaries who were put in charge of cannon manufacture by the late Ming and early Qing emperors.
The latter half of the 19th Century saw the invention of nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose and smokeless powders which rapidly led to the replacement of gunpowder in many applications.
See also
Reference - Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, & Pyrotechnics by Jack Kelly, Basic Books, ISBN 0-465-03718-6.
|
Feeds |
Contact