Gunpowder (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what gunpowder is, how it was invented and the consequences it had. The types of gunpowder, composition and uses.

What is gunpowder?

Gunpowder is a mixture of substances with deflagrating properties. Deflagration is a type of rapid combustion (rapid oxidation) that produces flame, which spreads slowly (but faster than in common combustion) by thermal diffusion (a phenomenon that consists of the movement of particles due to temperature variation).

Deflagration is a subsonic explosion, which develops at a speed less than the speed of sound (343.2 m/s). Besides, There are supersonic explosions (detonations), which generate a shock wave that is, a pressure wave that travels faster than sound and leaves a trail of chemical reactions.

There are different types of gunpowder, but generally by that name we refer to black powder, the first known explosive in history. Today there are other forms with low smoke production and higher performance, since the type of chemical combustion reactions that characterize them is much better known.

Invention of gunpowder

Paradoxically, gunpowder It was invented in China but as an accidental consequence of the Taoists' search for a potion of immortality. Various theories about the burning of saltpeter (potassium nitrate mixture (KNO₃) and sodium nitrate (NaNO₃)) and about sulfur in Chinese alchemical texts from 492 AD. C. they proposed them as possible purifying substances (hence their name: pinyin“fire medicine”), although it was its incendiary properties that really made a difference.

In his fight against the Mongols, Chinese troops wielded firearms: primitive rockets, bombs and flamethrowers, many of which passed into the hands of the victorious Mongols and, eventually, to other peoples of the Middle East and Europe. The first battle in which Western people faced a Mongol army carrying firearms was the Battle of Mohi (1241) in which the Kingdom of Hungary was defeated by Tatar and Mongol invaders.

Consequences of the discovery of gunpowder

The discovery of gunpowder would forever change the military arts of human beings giving the world a new balance of power, since troops armed with gunpowder were much more effective than those equipped with melee weapons, and had much more damage capacity than arrows, spears and other thrown weapons.

In fact, the use of gunpowder and explosives allowed the emergence of a whole new range of tools of war such as cannons, demolition squads, bombs, mines and a gigantic and diverse arsenal of rifles and pistols. For example, the first cannon in history was used by the Ottoman Mamluks at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260.

Types of gunpowder

We can identify the following types of gunpowder:

Black powder It is the oldest and the first to be invented. Generally, when referring to gunpowder, black powder is referred to. It has a fast, powerful reaction and produces a lot of smoke. After reacting, it left a lot of residue in the firearms' ducts, which caused deterioration.
Brown gunpowder. Invented in 1880 from the use of red coal and a greater amount of saltpeter, it achieved slower combustion and less corrosive residues. However, it was never used much because white powder emerged shortly after.
White powder Also called smokeless gunpowder or pyroxylated gunpowder, it has mostly gaseous components as a result of combustion (a product of nitrocellulose), so it does not leave the same amount of residue as black powder. For that reason, it was replaced in firearms. When we say smokeless powder, it does not mean that absolutely no smoke is produced during the explosion, but it is much less than when using black powder.
Flash gunpowder Recently invented, it was created to generate the light necessary for primitive photography (hence its name), since it has aluminum additives that, when combustion occurs, oxidize and generate a greater amount of light.

Chemical composition of gunpowder

The composition of gunpowder varies depending on the type of gunpowder in question. In addition, the composition of gunpowder often also varies depending on the country where it is manufactured, that is, the same type of gunpowder can have different proportions of its components, despite being the same, depending on the country that manufactured it. So, the most popular compositions of different types of gunpowder are:

Black powder: 75% potassium nitrate, 15% carbon and 10% sulfur.

Brown or brown gunpowder: 78% saltpeter, 19% red coal and 39% sulfur.

White powder (smokeless powder) It is composed of very energetic substances, mainly nitrocellulose or nitrocellulose mixed with nitroglycerin. There are several types:

Simple base Composed of nitrocellulose
Double base Composed of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin.
Triple base Composed of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin and nitroguanidine.

Flash gunpowder One of its most common variants is composed of potassium perchlorate or permanganate, and powdered aluminum.

Uses of gunpowder

Gunpowder is currently used for:

Manufacture ammunition for firearms, artillery, bombs, mines and other instruments of a warlike nature.
Manufacture pyrotechnic games (fireworks) for celebrations and decorative purposes.
Manufacture detonators and other instruments for the controlled demolition of buildings and structures.

Importance of gunpowder

Gunpowder revolutionized the world. It ushered in a new era of firearms warfare, forever changing the way we understand war. Besides, allowed the birth of the study of explosives which beyond its immediate weapons purposes, served, for example, to nourish the aeronautical industry.

Gunpowder manufacturing

Gunpowder - Bengal — The combustion of gunpowder directly depends on the size of its granulation.

To make gunpowder uniform grinding and mixing of the ingredients is required (saltpeter, coal and sulfur), in a procedure that was formerly done by hand, but which could later be mechanized using presses powered by water, for example. The ingredients must be ground into a more or less fine powder, since their combustion depends directly on the size of their granulation.

The processes, manufacturing methods and handling of gunpowder changed as more knowledge about this mixture was acquired. For example, initially the mixture was transported from the place where it was manufactured to the place where it was going to be used, which was very dangerous due to the risk of explosion due to impacts or changes in temperature. But later, they began to transport the components separately and mix them in the place where the mixture (gunpowder) was going to be used.

Another issue was the size of the grains obtained in the crushing process. Initially the grains were very fine which caused them to be very united in the mixture (piled up like what happens with flour powder, for example). This meant that there was not enough air between the grains, because the combustion speed was slow and uneven.

To solve this problem, water began to be added to the mixture with the aim of achieving a homogeneous paste which was then dried and cut into grains of different sizes. Then, using a sieve, the grains were separated according to their different sizes. The smaller grains were used for smaller caliber weapons (since combustion is faster) and the larger ones for larger caliber weapons (such as cannons).

Black gunpowder, for example, was consumed too quickly in European weapons of the 15th and 16th centuries, another reason why it began to be manufactured in uniform but larger grains.

Current gunpowders are manufactured from nitrocellulose (monobasic) or nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin (bibasic), which requires the nitrogenation of vegetable cellulose and its treatment with solvents until obtaining a thin sheet that is then cut into small pieces that are then dried and prepare for combustion.

Gunpowder Hazards

Gunpowder, despite its pyrotechnic uses, is a dangerous material. Its combustion, depending on the size of its grains, It can be caused by a spark, friction or percussion which requires careful handling, especially in large quantities. Gunpowder explosions can cause injuries, deaths and property damage, especially when they occur uncontrolled.

The fireworks

Gunpowder - Fireworks — Pyrotechnics were invented by the Chinese for peaceful purposes.

Pyrotechnics are also invention of the Chinese, who used gunpowder for peaceful purposes for entertainment, until they were forced to invent firearms to repel the Mongol invaders. Even today, gunpowder is used for these purposes, especially on significant dates, such as the end of the year.

Pyrotechnic devices are generally composed of a mixture of gunpowder and other substances that are responsible for producing certain colors, noise and smoke. For example, in fireworks the colors are produced by the presence of salts that, depending on the cation they have, will have a certain color:

Yellow Sodium salts (Na).
Orange Iron salts (Fe).
Green Copper salts (Cu).
Red Strontium salts (Sr).
White Aluminum (Al) and magnesium (Mg) salts.
Apple green Barium salts (Ba).
Soft red Lithium salts (Li).

However, there are also specialized forms of pyrotechnics, such as the flares used in rescue missions or signaling, as well as in the fight against hail or in the lighting of certain spaces.

The firearms

The invention of firearms would not have been possible without the discovery of gunpowder, and Dating back to the Chinese dynasties of the 10th and 11th centuries who adapted iron-reinforced bamboo pipes to fire metal pieces at the Mongol invaders. Before, they had already developed a significant number of similar weapons, such as bombs, rockets and flamethrowers.

Firearms reached the West over the following centuries and gave European nations the advantage over other enemy nations as is the case of the invasion of America during the 15th century. Since then, its development and improvement has not ceased, nor has its use in war conflicts around the world.

In addition, they are used in hunting, since it facilitates the work and allows a greater shooting distance, and in the sports disciplines of target shooting.

There should not be an invention in human history as deadly as firearms.