Cordite, a family of smokeless propellants intended…
1889 CE
The committee monitors foreign developments in explosives and obtains samples of Poudre B (for poudre blanche, or white powder)—a a smokeless propellant made out of collodion (nitrocellulose dissolved in ethanol and ether produced by French chemist Paul Vieille and immediately adopted by the French military for their Mle 1886 infantry rifle—and Ballistite, a a smokeless propellant invented and patented by Alfred Nobel, composed of 10% camphor, 45% nitroglycerine and 45% collodion (nitrocellulose).
Neither of these smokeless powders was recommended for adoption by the Explosives Committee.
Abel, Sir James Dewar and W. Kellner, who is also on the committee, develop and jointly patent (Nos. 5,614 and 11,664 in the names of Abel and Dewar) in 1889 a new ballistite-like propellant consisting of 58% nitroglycerine, by weight, 37% guncotton (nitrocellulose) and 5% petroleum jelly.
Using acetone as a solvent, it is extruded as spaghetti-like rods initially called "cord powder" or "the Committee's modification of Ballistite", but this is swiftly abbreviated to "Cordite".
Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance.
These produce a subsonic deflagration wave rather than the supersonic detonation wave produced by brisants, or high explosives.
The hot gases produced by burning gunpowder or cordite generate sufficient pressure to propel a bullet or shell to its target, but not so quickly as to routinely destroy the barrel of the gun.
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