gun-cottonn.
/ˈɡʌnˌkɒt(ə)n/ A highly explosive compound discovered in 1846 by Schönbein, and prepared by steeping cotton in nitric and sulphuric acids, formerly much used for blasting, but now almost superseded by dynamite. Chemically, gun-cotton is one of a series of nitrates of cellulose differing in composition and properties according to the strength of acid used and the period of digestion. From other members of the series are obtained the products celluloid and collodion. See also pyroxylin n.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > explosive material > [noun] > other specific explosives
powdera1393
gunpowder1411
saltpetre1501
petre1586
halinitre1608
sal-prunella1664
petre-salt1708
xyloidin1838
gun-cotton1846
pyroxyle1847
pyroxylin1847
pyroglycerin1850
xylidine1850
nitroglycerine1852
gun-sawdust1853
picrate1854
trinitroglycerin1864
nitroleum1866
trinitrin1866
dynamite1867
giant-powder1872
dualin1874
fulgurite1874
rendrock1874
glyoxilin1875
lithofracteur1875
trinitro-cellulose1875
white gunpowder1875
gelatin1878
cotton-powder1879
vigorite1879
blasting gelatine1881
Hercules powder1881
saxifragine1881
tonite1881
dynamogen1882
forcite1883
haloxylin1883
jelly powdera1884
nitro-gelatinea1884
panclastite1883
potentite1883
sebastinea1884
kolloxylin1884
hellhoffite1885
rackarock1885
securite1886
kinetite1887
roburite1887
carbo-dynamite1888
fortis1889
gelatine dynamite1889
gelignite1889
seranine1889
straw-dynamite1889
carbonite1890
amberite1891
nitro powder1892
Schnebelite1893
westfalite1894
thorite1899
soup1902
ammonal1903
cheddite1908
trinitrotoluene1908
Samsonite1909
tolite1909
trinitrotoluol1910
trotyl1910
glyceryl trinitrate1912
T.N.T.1915
nitro1916
amatol1918
cyclonite1923
hexogen1923
lox1923
pentaerythritol tetranitrate1923
hexite1931
aurantia1940
jelly1941
RDX1941
1846 Mechanics' Mag. 3 Oct. 330 The last and most curious experiment was the explosion of a piece of the gun cotton when placed upon loose gunpowder.
1846 P. Hawker Diary 31 Oct. (1893) II. 269 Went to see Mr. Charles Lancaster, after his miraculous escape in firing the new gun cotton.
1846 Ann. Reg. 203 The interest of scientific men and of the public has been strongly excited by the discovery by Professor Schönbein of an explosive compound..called Gun Cotton.
1847 Faraday in B. Jones Life (1870) 237 I do not talk about gun-cotton, because I think you will let me know when anything philosophical or important turns up respecting it.
1875 C. Darwin Insectivorous Plants vi. 125 Gun Cotton which consists of cellulose with the hydrogen replaced by nitrogen.
1894 Times 31 Jan. 3/2 [Dr. Odling said] ‘Guncotton’ was most commonly used to express the least soluble form, and there was a broad distinction between collodion cotton and guncotton.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online September 2018).
<
n.1846