Chemical Conversion of Nitrocellulose for Fertilizer

Abstract

The objective of this research was to develop economical, nonpolluting methods for decomposing waste nitrocellulose and to determine the most efficient procedure for chemically hydrolyzing nitrocellulose to give compounds which may be suitable as fertilizer, or other useful products. It was found that a 5% suspension of NC was completely decomposed when heated in a 10% aqueous ammonia solution for 8 hours at 75 C. If a closed system was used then a 5% NC suspension could be decomposed with a 5% aqueous ammonia solution in 3 hours. NC can also be degraded by hydrazine-hydrate. The only carbon product obtained was cellulose.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1976
Accession Number
ADA046362

Entities

People

  • Frank H. Bissett
  • Leonard A. Levasseur

Organizations

  • United States Army Soldier Systems Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ammonium Nitrate
  • Cellulose
  • Chromatographic Analysis
  • Decomposition
  • Degradation
  • Fertilizers
  • Hydrazines
  • Hydroxides
  • Internal Pressure
  • Materials
  • Nitrogen
  • Nitrogen Compounds
  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Rocket Oxidizers
  • Sodium Hydroxide
  • Spectra
  • Waste Water

Fields of Study

  • Chemistry

Readers

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Environmental Engineering.