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Microbial attack of nitrocellulose
Author(s) -
Brodman Bruce W.,
Devine Michael P.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1981.070260322
Subject(s) - nitrocellulose , organism , nitrogen , carbon fibers , propellant , aspergillus fumigatus , microorganism , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , materials science , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , membrane , composite material , paleontology , genetics , composite number
This is a study dealing with the use of a microorganism for partial denitration of the surface of nitrocellulose‐based small arms propellants, in order to gain burning rate control. An organism, Aspergillus fumigatus , was found to grow on pyroxylin suspended in a nitrogen deficient, carbon‐containing nutrient medium. No growth was observed under the same conditions when carbon was absent. This would indicate that the organism utilized nitrogen from nitrocellulose without attacking the carbon backbone. Further, mechanism studies indicated that the organism did not utilize the nitrogen directly from nitrocellulose, but rather relied on a hydrolysis reaction for a source of nitrogen.