NITROCELLULOSE -= Exodus =-

Nitrocellulose is usually called "gunpowder" or "guncotton". It is more

stable than black powder, and it produces a much greater volume of hot gas. It

also burns much faster than black powder when it is in a confined space.

Finally, nitrocellulose is fairly easy to make, as outlined by the following

procedure:

MATERIALS EQUIPMENT

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cotton (cellulose) two (2) 200-300 ml beakers

concentrated funnel and filter paper

nitric acid

blue litmus paper

concentrated

sulfuric acid

distilled water

1) Pour 10 cc of concentrated sulfuric acid into the beaker. Add to this 10

cc of concentrated nitric acid.

2) Immediately add 0.5 gm of cotton, and allow it to soak for exactly 3

minutes.

3) Remove the nitrocotton, and transfer it to a beaker of distilled water to

wash it in.

4) Allow the material to dry, and then re-wash it.

5) After the cotton is neutral when tested with litmus paper, it is ready to

be dried and stored.