History of Production Process: Gun Powder

History of production
process
Gun Powder

History of Gun Powder.
• Gunpowder, also known as black powder, is the earliest known

chemical explosive. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium
nitrate (saltpeter). The sulfur and charcoal act as fuels, and the
saltpeter is an oxidizer. Because of its burning properties and the
amount of heat and gas volume that it generates, gunpowder has been
widely used as a propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic
composition in fireworks.
History continuation.
• Gunpowder was invented in the 9th century in China, and the earliest record of a
written formula for gunpowder appears in the 11th century Song dynasty text,
Wujing Zongyao. This discovery led to the invention of fireworks and the earliest
gunpowder weapons in China. In the centuries following the Chinese discovery,
gunpowder weapons began appearing in the Muslim world, Europe, and India.
• The technology spread from China through the Middle East or Central Asia, and
then into Europe. The earliest Western accounts of gunpowder appear in texts
written by English philosopher Roger Bacon in the 13th century. Gunpowder is
assigned the UN number UN0027 and has a hazard class of 1.1D. It has a flash
point of approximately 427–464 °C (801–867 °F). The specific flash point may
vary based on the specific composition of the gunpowder. Gunpowder's specific
gravity is 1.70–1.82 (mercury method) or 1.92–2.08 (pycnometer), and it has a pH
of 6.0–8.0.
History continuation.
• Gunpowder is classified as a low explosive because of its relatively
slow decomposition rate and consequently low brisance.
• Ignition of the powder packed behind a bullet must generate enough

pressure to force it from the muzzle at high speed, but not enough to
rupture the gun barrel. Gunpowder thus makes a good propellant, but
is less suitable for shattering rock
Production Process
The usual mixture consists of 75 % potassium nitrate, 15%charcoal, and
10 % sulfur.
• 75 g potassium nitrate (KNO3, saltpeter)

• 15 g charcoal (ideally from burning the wood of a willow or linden,
but other sources work)
• 10 g sulfur
Steps in the Production Process
• I order to mix the black powder ingredients together, add the three
components to a ball mill(tumbler) in their correct proportion. A ball
mill is a type of grinder used for grinding, blend and sometimes use
for mixing materials for use in paints and pyrotechnics.
• The longer you let the tumbler run, the more finely ground the black
powder will be.
• It should be ensured that the ball mill is place out of traffic as
precautionary measure and it is highly recommended that the mill is
not place around any flame or flammable chemicals.
• After the ball mill has done its job of grinding the ingredients onto very fine
particles, then, Lay out a sheet of paper, open the tumbler, and dump the contents
into a kitchen strainer to catch the lead balls. The black powder will filter through
onto the paper.
• We pour the black powder on a paper instead of a plastic or any other material as a
precautionary measure. This is so since other materials tend to build up an static
electricity and thus causes sparks which will then cause ignition of the black
powder, which we do not want.
• This dust-like black powder is called "meal powder". Now this can be use to do a
good amount of things such as using it as a propellant in gun and rockets. It also
has its use in the making of fireworks.
Physical and chemical
characteristics of materials
• There's nothing complicated about the formulation of black powder. It
consists of charcoal (carbon), saltpeter (potassium nitrate or
sometimes sodium nitrate), and sulfur.
• Charcoal and sulfur act as the fuel for the explosion, while saltpeter
acts as an oxidizer. Sulfur also lowers the ignition temperature, which
increases the combustion rate.
• Charcoal is used instead of pure carbon because it contains
incompletely decomposed cellulose. It has a much lower autoignition
temperature. Black powder made using pure carbon will ignite, but it
won't explode.
Characteristics of Potassium
nitrate
• Potassium nitrate appears as a white to dirty gray crystalline solid, water
soluble, pungent taste, noncombustible, but accelerates the burning of
combustible materials. If large quantities are involved in fire or the
combustible material is finely divided an explosion may result. May
explode under prolonged exposure to heat or fire. Toxic oxides of nitrogen
are produced in fires. Used in solid propellants, explosives, fertilizers.
• Potassium nitrate is an salt that is made in an neutralization reaction in

chemically combining a acid and a base. The acid provide the cation while
the base provides the anion.
Physical and chemical
characteristics of Sulphur.
• Sulfur is an odorless, tasteless, light yellow solid. It is a reactive
element that given favorable circumstances combines with all other
elements except gases, gold, and platinum. Sulfur appears in a number
of different allotropic modifications: rhombic, monoclinic, polymeric,
and others. The rhombic structure is the most commonly found sulfur
form. Each allotropic form differs in solubility, specific gravity,
crystalline, crystalline arrangement, and other physical constants.
These various allotropes also can exist together in equilibrium in
definite proportions, depending on temperature and pressure.

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History of production

• Gunpowder, also known as black powder, is the earliest known

• Ignition of the powder packed behind a bullet must generate enough

• 75 g potassium nitrate (KNO3, saltpeter)

• Potassium nitrate is an salt that is made in an neutralization reaction in

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