Claims
- 1. An improved process of denitrating nitrocellulose comprising:
- A. introducing in ratio about 2 gms. nitrocellulose into about 1 liter of an aqueous solution containing:
- 1. a buffer
- 2. a chelating agent,
- 3. methyl viologen, and
- 4. a sulfhydryl-containing compound selected from the group consisting of:
- a. 1-cysteine,
- b. dithiothreitol, and
- c. dithioerythritol,
- B. maintaining the pH of the solution between about 7.2 and 8.2, and
- C. reducing said nitrocellulose by boiling said aqueous solution for a period between about 2.5 and about 4 hours.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the pH is maintained between about 7.5 and 7.8.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein said buffer is potassium phosphate of about (0.1M), and said chelating agent is sodium ethylenediaminetetracetic acid of about (2 mM) and said methyl viologen is about (3 mM).
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein said buffer is sodium phosphate of about (0.1M) or tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane of about (0.05M).
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the said 1-cysteine is about 0.5m to 0.2M, said dithiothreitol is about 10 mM, and said dithioerythritol is about 10 mM.
Government Interests
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the Government without the payment of any royalties thereon.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3546149 |
Fabian |
Dec 1970 |
|
4082617 |
Portnoy et al. |
Apr 1978 |
|