One of the most important of his investigations had to do with the manufacture of guncotton, and he developed a process, consisting essentially of reducing the nitrated cotton to fine pulp. This work to an important extent prepared the way for the “smokeless powders” which came into general use towards the end of the 19th century; cordite. Its use in firearms during WWI was a huge advantage over conventional gunpowder, because it does not produce visually obstructive smoke clouds when fired. Nowadays it is no longer used.
97600login-checkJuly 17th – English chemist Sir Frederick Abel was born on this day in 1827
