Smokeless Powders Database

 
Definitions
Smokeless Powder: A solid propellant with different morphologies using nitrocellulose as an active ingredient.  
 
Smokeless Powder Classification
Single Base: Contains nitrocellulose and other components
Double Base: Contains nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin and other components
Triple Base: Contains nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, nitroguanadine and other components. Note: Nitroguanadine is not normally found in commercial smokeless powders and analysis of it is not performed on powders in this database.  
 
Powder Info Section                                                                                                                       
SRN: SRN number is the database sample reference number.
Distributor: The distributor is the listed name on the label of the smokeless powders canister.  The distributor may or not be the manufacturer.
Product Name: Name of the smokeless powder printed on the retail container.
Data Source:  Source is the laboratory from which the sample data was obtained.             
Source SRN: The source laboratory's sample reference number.                                            
Product Use: The intended use for which the smokeless powder was manufactured. 
Date Obtained: The date when the smokeless powder was received by the source laboratory.                
Lot Number:  Identification number assigned to a particular quantity or lot of material from a single manufacturer.
Manufacturer: The manufacturer is the company, firm, corporation, or other entity that manufactured the smokeless powder.  The manufacturer may not be the distributor.  
Date Manufactured: The date when the manufacturer produced the smokeless powder.
Date of Analysis: The date the sample was chemically analyzed.
Comments: Other useful information about the smokeless powder
GC-MS Dataset: This is the Agilent dataset created when the sample was analyzed, consisting of the data.ms and pre_post.ini files in a self-extracting Zip file. Executing the file will extract the dataset to a folder on the user system. The default path is: c:\smokeless powders\nnnnnnnn.d where nnnnnnnn is the SRN; however the user can change the path.
FTIR Dataset: This is the FTIR dataset created when the sample was analyzed, consisting of a comma separated value file. The data in the file can be graphed in Excel after converting the text to columns.
MSDS: The Material Safety Data Sheet is also provided, when available.   
                            
Physical Description Section                                                                                                      
Shape: The physical shape of the smokeless powder grain e.g. disk, cylinder and ball. Refer to Help on the Physical Description Page for schematic and individual shape descriptions.  The shape is assigned based on the most predominant shape found in the smokeless powder.
Color: The color of the smokeless powder grain. Refer to Help on the Physical Description Page for schematic.
Perforation: A hole in a disk powder or a hollow center through a cylinder powder created during the manufacturing process in extruded powders. Refer to Help on the Physical Description Page for schematic.
Distinguishing Features: Feature that makes a powder different from similar powders. May be due to incomplete cuts or grain stretching during manufacture e.g. agglomerates, striations and bias cuts. Refer to Help on the Physical Description Page for schematic.
Luster: The way light interacts with the surface of a grain. Refer to Help on the Physical Description Page for schematic.
Markers: A colored grain(s) added to the bulk of the powder to aid in visual identification e.g. Alliant Blue Dot. Refer to Help on the Physical Description Page for schematic.
Diameter avg: The value obtained by dividing the sum of a set of grain diameter measurements by the number of quantities in the set. Refer to Help on the Physical Description Page for schematic.
Diameter std. dev: A measure of the variation in the grain diameter measurements, equal to the square root of the arithmetic mean of the squares of the deviations from the arithmetic mean.
Diameter min: The smallest diameter of a measurement set
Diameter max: The largest diameter of a measurement set
Length/thickness avg: The value obtained by dividing the sum of a set of grain length measurements by the number of quantities in the set.
Length/thickness std. dev: A measure of the variation in the grain length measurements, equal to the square root of the arithmetic mean of the squares of the deviations from the arithmetic mean. Refer to Help on the Physical Description Page for schematic.
Length/thickness min: The shortest length of a measurement set
Length/thickness max: The longest length of a measurement set
 
Chemistry Section                                                                                                                         
List of Components: Chemical compounds typically contained in smokeless powders.Includes energetics, deterrents, stabilizers and plasticizers.  Some ingredients listed on the manufacturers' container label may not be present in the actual powder or may be at a concentration below the detection limit of the analysis method.
Other Components: Chemical compounds not commonly contained in smokeless powders. Includes inorganics, camphor and adipates.