How is gun cotton made?

Question

in an episode of myth-busters (confederate rocket) they use a so called gun cotton, how is it made?

Answer 1

Google nitrocellulose

Play safe, OK?

P.S. Note that there is an important catalyst in the reaction. The nitric acid provides the NO3, displacing an OH radical from the cellulose, which combines with the H from the HNO3 to form water as a byproduct, but it won't work properly without the catalyst.

It is also important to stabilize the end product (the nitrocellulose) after completing the reaction.

Please do your homework before messing with this stuff. Eye protection, skin protection, a respirator or fume hood and a blast shield are just as important as the reagents.

Answer 2

Well, they did not want to divulge the recipe, for fear of people trying it on their own and blowing themselves up...

Let's just state it uses highly concentrated nitric acid (which is recognized by its outgassing of red-brown fumes, which are highly toxic; a mere whiff makes you feel like your lungs are internally being scoured by steel wool).

Do not try that at home. Ever.

Answer 3

The simplest way is to take cotton (a cellulose material) and soak it in Nitric Acid.  Then place it in a dry place and let the moisture evaporate.  This process will need to be repeated the number of times to get the 15 divided by 1 over the pH.  This will make a low power explosive and should not be used for anything other than myth busting experiments.