Li Zhi replaced a helper, adjusted the stove fire more than a dozen times, wasted more than a dozen cans of concentrated sulfuric acid, and finally produced nitric acid. In a slightly hot environment, concentrated sulfuric acid turned saltpeter into nitric acid gas, a large amount of nitric acid
The gas dissolved into the water in the tank, turning the tank of cold water into concentrated nitric acid.
With concentrated nitric acid, Li Zhi can make various new types of gunpowder.
However, it was too difficult to prepare various complex gunpowders, and some of them were very dangerous to prepare. The first thing Li Zhi had to do was to make nitrocellulose, a simple smokeless gunpowder. To make nitrocellulose, you need to use concentrated nitric acid, concentrated sulfuric acid and cotton.
Li Zhi first prepared a 1:3.5 solution of nitric acid and sulfuric acid.
However, Li Zhi didn't pay attention when he mixed nitric acid and sulfuric acid for the first time. He poured the nitric acid directly into the sulfuric acid. The mixture immediately boiled and splashed out. Fortunately, Li Zhi had been cautious and had quick eyesight and took two steps back quickly.
, so he didn’t get splashed by the thick acid.
Li Zhi breathed a long sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his head, secretly thinking that he was in danger. If he was stained by this mixed acid, his skin would be burned immediately.
The second time, he poured sulfuric acid into nitric acid instead, and finally obtained a mixed solution of sulfuric acid and nitric acid safely. The mixed liquid would still be hot, so Li Zhi used a glass rod to gently stir the acid solution in the glass bottle and cap it.
Cover the glass and wait for the acid mixture to cool.
After the mixed acid solution cooled, Li Zhi pressed absorbent cotton into the mixed acid solution.
Skimmed cotton is prepared in advance, boiled with caustic soda solution, and then rinsed with water. The fat in the cotton reacts with caustic soda to become soap. After washing, the fat is completely washed away. The skimmed cotton is dried in the sun
After drying, it is placed in a large cotton bag for later use.
Li Zhi pressed the absorbent cotton into a glass filled with mixed acid solution, pressed several thick layers, and used a glass rod to press out the air between the cotton.
After standing in the acid solution for 20 minutes, Li Zhi took out the nitrated absorbent cotton and rinsed it with large water until the sour smell could no longer be smelled. Then he put the nitrocellulose into a dilute alkaline solution and boiled it for 25 minutes, took it out and rinsed it to dry.
Dry it and then immerse it in 2% saltpeter aqueous solution for stabilization treatment.
Although nitrocellulose has been stabilized, it is still unstable, flammable and explosive. When the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius, it can accelerate decomposition and spontaneous combustion. Therefore, about 30% alcohol must be added to nitrocellulose as a wetting agent during storage and transportation.
, to increase stability.
After a series of preparations, Li Zhi finally got a small jar of nitrocellulose smokeless gunpowder. Li Zhi lit several balls of nitrocellulose with a torch, and saw that as soon as the firelight came into contact with the cotton, the entire cotton exploded, exploding like fireworks.
Open it in the air. Judging from the burning rate of this nitrocellulose, it is probably much stronger than black powder.
The most critical thing is that nitrocellulose is completely burned after burning, leaving no ashes. Using nitrocellulose as propellant, rifle shooters no longer need to use purge strips to clean the black powder residue in the barrel. On the battlefield where shooting is against time
, the few seconds saved can significantly increase the rifleman's shooting speed.
If the shooting speed could be a few percent faster, the rifleman would be able to fire a few more shots before the enemy rushes to the front of the formation, and the combat effectiveness would be increased by a few percent!
Li Zhi worked hard for a day and made a sack of nitrocellulose. Then he asked his guards to knead, calender, and slice the nitrocellulose into flaky particles, and then he gave up.
The next day, Li Zhi brought nitrocellulose to the shooting range and asked a guard to use this new gunpowder as propellant to test-fire the rifle.
Li Xing, Zheng Kaicheng and others didn't know how they got the news about Li Zhi's experiment with new gunpowder, so they all came. Several regiment leaders gathered around Li Zhi's linen bag, wanting to open it but didn't dare.
Li Xing smiled and said: "Brother, can this new gunpowder be more powerful than granular black powder?"
Li Zhi glared and asked, "How did you know that I was testing new gunpowder today?"
Li Xing smiled and said: "I went to the General Military Mansion to have tea with you yesterday. The guard at the door said that you were busy with new gunpowder, so I went back. Of course I know about the new gunpowder."
Li Zhi nodded and said: "This new type of gunpowder is amazing. Not only is it smaller in size and more powerful, it also has no residue and does not require the shooter to clean the barrel of the gun."
Zhong Feng wowed and said, "Uncle, wouldn't that save a quarter of the time?"
Li Zhi nodded and said, "Just watch! Watch the shooter's test shot!"
The guard who was selected for the test firing was very nervous, and his hands were shaking a little during the test firing. Seeing his fear, Li Zhi smiled and said: "If you are injured by the blast, your pension will be increased by 50%."
As the overall price of goods increased in the Ming Dynasty, Li Zhi increased the monthly wages of workers, and the monthly wages of soldiers in the Huben Division also increased, becoming three to seven taels of silver per month. Correspondingly, Li Zhi now gave soldiers in previous battles
The pensions for the wounded and those killed in action were also increased to 20% to 20% to 50%.
Li Zhi said that he would increase the pension by 50% for the shooter, and the pension would reach 30,000 yuan. Even if the shooter was seriously injured, he would be able to lie in bed and receive money in his next life. After hearing this, his hands stopped shaking.
The expression on his face became more determined, and the fine sweat on his head also decreased a lot.
At the beginning of the test firing, a small amount of nitrocellulose was tested. The shooter took a small amount of new smokeless gunpowder with flaky particles from a cowhide bag soaked in alcohol, pressed it into the barrel of the gun with a purge, and then loaded and fired.
There was only a bang as the bullet shot out of the gun barrel and hit the Dongnu double-layered armor placed one hundred and twenty meters away, failing to penetrate the armor.
In the past, granular black powder could penetrate double layers of armor, and nitrocellulose naturally had to meet this standard to be considered qualified. Li Zhi asked the shooter to increase the amount of gunpowder. After hearing this, the shooter's hands began to shake again.
This shooter was also a veteran. He had used black powder to hit targets countless times. After shooting, he subconsciously used a purge to clean the barrel of the gun. However, he used the purge for a long time and did not feel any residue in the barrel.
He turned around and smiled at Li Zhi: "Uncle, there really is no residue."
Li Zhi nodded and asked him to shoot.
The second shot increased the dose, but still failed to penetrate the double armor 120 meters away.
The third time he used more medicine, the shooter gritted his teeth and pressed the trigger, piercing the double-layered iron armor 120 meters away.
Seeing the two holes in the armor, several regiment leaders cheered.
Li Xing said excitedly: "Brother, our infantry is even more powerful now!"
Li Zhi took a scale and weighed the weight of the propellant used once, calculated it, and said: "This new gunpowder is not cheap. The cost of raw materials and steam engines alone is a lot. Adding in labor, this launch requires a lot of money."
