THE IMPORTANCE OF NITROGEN

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 49, 31 May 1940, Page 2

THE IMPORTANCE OF NITROGEN

different from the early gunpowder as chalk from cheese, one element has remained unchanged, Whatever form explosives may take-whether they be called gunpowder, T.N.T., cordite, lyddite, melinite, amatol-the prime and truly moving factor of their violent force is nitrogen, Nitrogen is an inert gas, which means that it is difficult to get it into combination with other elements. It is an unsocial element -- mixing with the greatest reluctance, and needing but little encouragement to send it flying off on its own again. Millions of nitrogen elements, in some form of a solid nitrogenous compound, lie side by side with their hydrogen, carbon and oxygen components, in a charge of cordite, until detonated by the merest spark or explosive wave, when they instantly seek release. What follows is something resembling a human panic; the nitrogen, having started the stampede, the rest follow suit, crowding for an exit, with the result that they push against the only movable ‘surface present-the bullet or shell. In the case of a high explosive shell or bomb, the reaction is repeated when it reaches its objective. The detonator once more agitates the nitrogen atoms and the stampede results, this time in the bursting of the shell or bomb, For centuries the natural source of nitrogen was saltpetre, which is the common name for potassium, calcium and sodium nitrate. Potassium nitrate came from the farmyard heap, while calcium nitrate was scraped from the damp walls of caves and cellars. In 1809 a natural deposit of sodium nitrate was found on the western slope of the Andes. _ Here, in a bed of ancient guano, deposits that had decomposed and precipitated their salts-2 miles wide and 250 miles long-were sufficient nitrates to supply the world’s most extravagant needs. The outbreak of the last war found Germany and Britain as Chile’s best customers, with the two countries importing a yearly average of one million tons of nitrates. By the end of 1914 Britain’s fleet had assured Britain’s nitrate supply and cut off Germany’s. Germany was forced to fall back on her meagre stores, well knowing thet, unless she was soon able to develop means of procuring this essential sinew of war, she was doomed to an early defeat. Science came ft her rescue, for, strangely enough, nitrogen is about the freest thing in creation, composing 78 per cent. of the atmosphere. For years chemists had been experimenting with various methods for its synthetic production from air. Seizing upon these experiments, Germany successfully put them into practical operation, thus enabling her to obtain supplies for the rest of the war. Since then Britain has developed the synthetic production of nitrogen, and today finds us as independent of Chilean supplies as Germany. T HOUGH modern explosives are as