8th International Nitrocellulose Symposium  6th - 7th June 2018

MANUCO will organise the 8th International Nitrocellulose Symposium in Bergerac, France.

This series of workshops is a biennial technical meeting that is an informal and friendly forum for the discussion of all aspects of nitrocellulose supply, characterisation and ageing.  It started in 2001 and was originally an informal UK working group with an interest in nitrocellulose characterisation with a particular emphasis on molecular weight determination.  In subsequent years it has been sponsored and hosted by AWE, UK MOD, Cranfield University, Rheinmetall Nitrochemie, and TNO and has grown to 50+ delegates from twenty different organisations and eight different countries.

Previous themes have included:

Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) Analysis • Chemical and physical characterisation • Chemical stability, ageing, and shell life • Cellulose supply • Nitrocellulose manufacturing, processing and supply • Propellant manufacture • Propellant ballistics • Disposal • International standardisation and national test methodologies (including updates on international round robins in support of STANAG 4178 ed2).

The Scientific Committee:

  • Manfred A. Bohn, ICT Fraunhofer, Germany
  • Paul R Deacon, AWE, UK
  • Philip P Gill, Cranfield University, UK
  • Claude Guillaume, Manuco, France
  • Wim de Klerk, TNO, The Netherlands
  • Mario Paquet, General Dynamics OTS, Canada
  • Beat Vogelsanger, Rheinmetall  Nitrochemie, Switzerland

1st Nitrocellulose Symposium (February 2001, Basingstoke, UK)

    An Introduction to Nitrocellulose Paul Deacon, AWE Aldermaston, UK
    An Introduction to Viscotek Paul Clarke, Viscotek Europe Limited, UK
    Multi-Detector GPC Techniques Paul Clarke, Viscotek Europe Limited, UK
    Qualification, Characterisation and Classification
    Richard McGee, MOD, UK
    GPC and LC transform of Nitrocellulose Based Ink Jet Inks
    Ann Wilson & Christina Paraskeva, Domino, UK
    Nitrocellulose Characterisation
    Martin Sloan, BAE Systems, UK
    Activities Complimentary to GPC Paul Deacon, AWE Aldermaston, UK
    Nitrocellulose Measured by GPC  Nicola Marheineke, Viscotek Europe Limited 




    2nd Nitrocellulose Symposium (November 2001, Aldermaston, UK)

     

    Swedish Defence Research Agency
    Marja-Liisa Petterson, Defence Research Agency, Sweden 
    Characterisation of Thermally Aged Nitrocellulose by GCP
    AK Macdonald, AWE Aldermaston, UK
    GPC of AWE Nitrocellulose in 100% MEK
    Ann Wilson & Christina Paraskeva, Domino UK Ltd
    Nitrocellulose Analysis by Low Angle Light Scattering
    Paul Clarke, Viscotek Europe Limited, UK
    Molecular Weight Distribution from Analytical Ultracentrifuge
     Neil Errington, NCMH
    Current Test Data and Proposed Future Work  Martin Sloan, BAE Systems, UK
    The Affect of Water on the Stability of Nitrocellulose in the THF Solution
     Paul Deacon AWE Aldermaston, UK
       

     


    3rd Nitrocellulose Symposium (April 2007, Aldermaston, UK)


      Issues Surrounding Qualification and Certification of Munitions with NC
      Neil Turner, UK MOD, Defence Ordnance Safety Group, UK
      Manufacturing Issues with Nitrocellulose Based Explosives
      Nick Herbert, AWE Aldermaston, UK
      Rocket Propellant Characteristics as Influences by Cellulose Type and Source
      Martin Sloan, Roxel, UK
      Survey of Standard NC Testing Methods and the Abel Heat Test
      Ruth Sopranetti, NC Wimmis, Switzerland
      Nitrocellulose Characterisation to Support High Explosive and Propellant Life Assessment
      Paul Deacon, AWE Aldermaston, UK
      Nitrocellulose Characterisation by Gel Permeation Chromotography (GPC)
      Philip P Gill, Cranfield University, UK
      Characterisation of NC from two sources David Powell, AWE Aldermaston, UK
      Characterisation of Plasticised Nitrocellulose using Pulsed Field Gradient (PFG) NMR and Rheology
      Jessica Gwyther, Bristol University, UK
      Split Hopkinson Bar Studies
      Daniel Drodge, Cambridge University, UK
      Kinetics of Nitrocellulose Ageing - Video Recording
      Alan Burnham, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA
      NC-based Energetic Materials - Stability, Decomposition and Ageing
      Manfred Bohn, Fraunhofer ICT, Germany
      Characterisation of Ageing of NC - Which Technique?
      Monique van Hulst, TNO, The Netherlands
      Whole Life Assessment of Nitrocellulose in Rocket and Gun Propellants
      Philip P Gill, Cranfield University, UK
      Determination of the Activation energy of NE Decomposition from UV Visible Spectroscopy of Thin Films
      Mohammed Moniruzzaman, Cranfield University, UK
      Towards Characterisation of Aged EDC37
      David Williamson, Cambridge University, UK
      Monte Carlo Simulation for a Quantitative Assessment of the Likelihood of Predicted Strength, or Molecular Weight, with Explosive Age
      Claire Leppard, AWE Aldermaston, UK
      Multidiagnostic Materials Ageing Capability
      Alistair Parkes, AWE Aldermaston, UK
         

          



      4th Nitrocellulose Symposium (May 2010, Shrivenham, UK)


      STANAG 4178 Ed. 2 - The New NATO Standard for Nitrocellulose Testing
      Beat Vogelsanger, Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, Switzerland
      Nitrocellulose: DOSG Propellant Qualification Requirements
      Martin Sloan, DOSG, UK
      Cellulose Fibre Morphology and its Potential Effect on Nitrocellulose Manufacturing and Performance
      Mario Paquet, General Dynamics, Ordnance and Tactical System, Valleyfield Canada
      Nitrocellulose Characterisation: Benefits of International Collaboration
      Paul Deacon, AWE Aldermaston, UK
      Evaluation of Round Robin Test Results for a Size Exclusion Chromatography Method for the Analysis of Nitrocellulose
      Alan Macdonald, AWE Aldermaston, UK
      Nitrocellulose Analysis from Cradle-to-Grave: the Role of Chromatography
      Monique van Hulst, TNO-Defence, The Netherlands
      Effect of Manufacturing Processes on Nitrocellulose in Extruded Double Base Propellants [Paper]
      Jim Tucker, Cranfield University, UK
      Influence of the Chemical Composition of Propellants on Microcalorimetric Measurements
      Laurence Jeunieau, Royal Military School, Belgium
      Nitrocellulose Ageing Processes and their Consequences for Stability Testing
      Beat Vogelsanger, Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, Switzerland
      Effect of Crystallinity on Ageing Behaviour of Nitrocellulose
      Monir Moniruzzaman, Cranfield University, UK
      Monitoring the Ageing of a Nitrocellulose Based High Explosive Binder System
      Ruth Knight, AWE Aldermaston, UK
      Whole Life Assessment of Nitrocellulose in Propellants
      Nathalie Mai, Cranfield University, UK
         

      5th Nitrocellulose Symposium (April 2012, Spiez, Switzerland)

      New Standards for NC Testing
      Beat Vogelsanger, Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, Switzerland
      Measuring the Content, Size and Density of Fiber Agglomerates of NC by Water Elutriation Mario Paquet, General Dynamics OTS, Valleyfield, Canada
      Application of Near Infrared Spectroscopy: NC Certifications and Beyond
      Tony Williams, ATK Radford, USA
      Production Application of Gradient Elution Chromatography for Near-Time Monitoring of NC % Nitrogen Scott J. Vice, ATK Radford, USA
      Investigations of NC Using X-ray Diffraction
      Michael Herrmann, Fraunhofer ICT, Germany
      The Use of HFC to Study NC Dissolution in Various Solvents
      Alan F. Macdonald, AWE plc, Aldermaston, UK
      Quality Aspects and Testing of Industrial NC
      Herbert Nagorski, Hagedorn AG, Germany
      ISO 17025: GPC Analysis of NC
      Nathalie Mai, Cranfield University, UK
      Investigation of Low Molecular Mass Substances for their Suitability as Internal Standards in GPC Together with NC
      Heike Pontius, Fraunhofer ICT, Germany
      Characterization of Ageing of NC Based Gun Propellants by Molar Mass Degradation of NC and a First-Step Modelling of the Complete Molar Mass Distribution Functions of NC Manfred A. Bohn, Fraunhofer ICT, Germany
      NC Degradation - an Important Factor to Assess Ageing / Stability of Gun Propellants Beat Vogelsanger, Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, Switzerland
      NC Ageing: Effects on a High Explosive Formulation Paul R Deacon, AWE Plc, Aldermaston, UK
      HFC of Unstabilized NC Powders and Presses Pellets Wim de Klerk, TNO, The Netherlands
      Evaluation of Shelf-Lifes of NC in Storage [EASSP Technical Paper] Mario Paquet, General Dynamics OTS, Valleyfield, Canada
      A New and Cheap Method for the Evaluation of Shelf-Live of MC Beat Vogelsanger, Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, Switzerland
      NC: Masters Projects at Cranfield Universite Philip P Gill, Cranfield University, UK
      Conversion of a NC Plant from Loose Type to Dense Type Production J. Fairweather, Bowas-Induplan Chemie Ges.m.b.H, Austria
      Processing of Cellulose in Form of Rolls as Raw Material for NC Ulrich Dembeck, Josef Meissner GmbH, Germany
      Influence of Linters Type on Quality of produced NC and Propellants/CCCs Robert Guyer, Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, Switzerland
      The Origin and Type of Cellulose Utilized in the Manufacture of NC over the last 30 years Wolfgang JF Schimansky, Rheinmetall-Denel Munition, RSA
      Wood and Cotton Linters Based Cellulose for Production of NC Ingo Müller, BORREGAARD AS, Norway
      Nitration of Bacterial Cellulose Gavin Peters, QinetiQ Fort Halstead and Ardeer, UK
      UK Methodology for NC Qualification Martin Sloan, Defence Ordnance Safety Group, UK
      NC Nitrating Acids: Influence on Nitration Process and Resulting Requirements on Analytics Mario Paquet, General Dynamics OTS, Valleyfield, Canada
      Denitration of Acid-Wet NC in Acid Recovery Centrifuge Randy Brown, ATK Radford, USA
      The History of Manufacture of Military and Industrial Grade NC Steven S Hesseling, Rheinmetall-Denel Munition, RSA
      Gaining Competitiveness with Innovations in NC Gunter Weber, Mawe-Beratung GmbH, Germany
      Inertization of NC-based Propellants M.L. Douet, Royal Military Academy, Belgium
      Risk Assessment and Migration Activity Regarding Nitrated Ester Propellants in Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD) John Burchett, US Navy, USA
      Ballistic Stability and Influence of the Firing Temperature of Two Deterred Propellants Laurence Jeunieau, Royal Military Academy, Belgium

              

       


















      6th Nitrocellulose Symposium (April 2014, Rijswijk, The Netherlands)

      Source - History - Application of Nitrocellulose
      Wim de Klerk, Program Manager, Ammunition Safety, TNO
      New Standards for Nitrocellulose Testing, STANAG 4178 Ed.2//MIL-DTL-244 B/ECP/C Beat Vogelsanger, Rheinmetall Nitrochemie
      Characterization of the Fiberization Quality of Nitrocellulose by Elutriation Mario Paquet and Ian Lavac, General Dynamics
      Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry of Historical Nitrocellulose Samples Dr Paul Deacon, AWE
      Analysis of Nitrating Acids by Near Infrared Spectroscopy Eszter Trenka, BUCHI Labortechnik AG
      Determination of Nitrogen Content in Nitrocellulose Beat Vogelsanger, Rheinmetall Nitrochemie
      Nitrocellulose Nitrogen Molecular Average Distribution and Potential Effect on Molecular Weight Distribution Mario Paquet, General Dynamics
      Determination of Ether Alcohol Soluble of Nitrocellulose by Near Infra Red Spectroscopy Claude Guillaume, Manuco
      Identifying a New Source of Wood Pulp for the Manufacture of Nitrocellulose Daniel Vissan, BAE Systems, Inc.
      Microstructure of Nitrocellulose and NC-based Gun Propellants Investigated by means of X-Ray Diffraction Michael Herrmann, Fraunhofer, ICT
      Study on Crystallinity and Ageing Behaviour of Post-Precipitated Nitrocellulose Dr Mohammed Moniruzzaman, Cranfield Defence and Security
      Cellulose and Nitrocellulose: Analysing Chemical Properties Monique van Hulst, TNO
      Cellulose - a Specialty Chemical Fibre for the Manufacturer of Nitrocellulose Denis Sens, Tembec
      The Effect  of Hammer Milling on Cellulose and Cellulose Fibreboard Mario Paquet, General Dynamics
      Nitrocellulose Bonding - Rocket Motor Manufacturing Processing Effects Nathan Flood, Cranfield Defence and Security
      Environmentally Friendly Stabilizers for NC Andreas Lindborg FOI, Swedish Defence Research Agency
      Molar Mass Degradation of  NC and Cellulose: Modelling by Re-Combination Including Non-Isotherm Data Manfred Bohn, Fraunhofer ICT
      Preparation, Certification and Reaction Dynamics of Methyl Violet Paper for the 134.5C Stability Test Mario Paquet, General Dynamics
      Modelling of the Consumption of a Dye Used to Probe the Decomposition of Nitrocellulose Manfred Bohn, Fraunhofer ICT

      6th Nitrocellulose Workshop 2014 - Participants

      Organising Committee and Programme

      7th Nitrocellulose Symposium (May 2016, Montreal, Canada)

      Programme / Summary nbsp;
      Determination of Nitrogen Content of Nitrocellulose by Chromotography
      Monique van Hulst, TNO Defence
      Thermal and Mechanical Hazards of Nitrocellulose and its Mixture with Nitroglycerine
      S. Singh, Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory
      Correlation of DWP Cellulose Hot Alkali Solubility Test Results to Characteristics in Nitrocellulose
      Zachary Higginbotham, BAE Systems-Radford Army Ammunition Plant
      Continuous Analysis of Mixed Acids as a Three-component Fluid System
      Premysl Gromada, SYNTHESIA
      Determination of Nitrocellulose Properties by Near Infrared Spectroscopy: nitrogen content, solubility, total volatile content and residual water
      Oldrich Vecerek, SYNTHESIA
      Treatment of Wastewaters from Nitrocellulose Production
      Radim Stanek, Kralovehradecka, as, Veolia Group, Czech Republic
      Novel Stabilisers for Nitrocellulose-based Propellants
      Rowan Dobson, Eurenco
      Study of Photo-crosslinking of Nitrocellulose Stabilised with Diphenylamine
      M Moniruzzaman, Cranfield University
      Nitrocellulose Degrees of Freedom - Chemico-physical Effects on Mechanical Processing
      Matt Parker and Nathalie Mai, Cranfield University
      Investigation of Ageing Behaviour of Plasticised Nitrocellulose - Accelerated Ageing and Real Ageing
      Manfred A.  Bohn, Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT)
      Nitrocellulose Processing in a Flammable Solvent: Designing a Safer Process
      Paul Deacon, AWE
      Progress Towards Reliable NC Molecular Mass Distribution by GPC
      Emma Stubbs, AWE
      Oscillatory Rheology of Plasticised Nitrocellulose Formulations
      Dan Lewis, AWE
      Nitrocellulose: A Cellulose Raw Material Perspective
      Derek Budgell, Tembec Speciality Cellulose
      InFuseTM Nitrocellulose: A Novel Approach to Gun Propellant Technology
      Milca Fils-Aime, Orbital ATK
      Long-term Mass Loss Studies of Different Propellants Used in Ageing Analysis
      Manfred Bohn, Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT)
      Morphology Analysis Measurement and Correlation with Fineness
      Claude Guillaume, Manuco
      Bacterial Cellulose - Analysis and Nitration
      Simon Torry, QinetiQ
      Qualification of Cotton Liners
      Nigel Rutter and Chris Hollands, Defence Ordnance Safety Group
      Methods for the Determination of Nitrogen Content in Nitrocellulose
      Beat Vogelsanger, Nitrochemie Wimmis AG
      Development of Insensitive Munitions (IM) Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) Propellants for Large Calibre Gun Systems
      Mark Penny, BAE Systems, Glascoed
      Propellant Manufactured on Australia's Modernised Mulwala Facility
      Andrew Hart, Weapons and Combat Systems Division, DSTG
      NC Fiber Length Distribution: Empirical Modeling of Mass Weighted Distribution Obtained by Fiber Length Analyzers 
      Mario Paquet, General Dynamics OTS-Canada Valleyfield
      Safety of Storage and Handling NC Spent Acid: Modelization of NG Spent Thermal Stability for Quantitave Safety Assessment
      Mario Paquet, General Dynamics OTS-Canada Valleyfield
         
      Posters  
      Quantitative Safety Assessment of Handling and Storage of NG Spent Acid and Estimation of Hazard
      Louis-Etienne Bordreau, General Dynamics OTS- Canada Valleyfield
      Measurement of Concentration of Nitrocellulose in Water: Poster A
      Claude Guillaume, Manuco
      Measurement of Concentration of Nitrocellulose in Water: Poster B
      Claude Guillaume, Manuco
      Homogeneity of a Plasticised Nitrocellulose Binder Formulation
      S. Hazelwood, E. Stubbs, AWE
      A Classification Model for Propellant Fire Propagation + A Model for Propellant Fire Radiant Heat Flux Output: Poster A and B
      Frederick Paquet, Concordia University
      Implementation Of Multilayered Propellant Extrusion in Concentric Cylinders
      Simon Durand, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal
      Development of a Continuous Celluloid Twin Screw Extrusion Process
      Etienne Comtois, General Dynamics OTS-Canada Valleyfield
      Relaxation Spectra Of Plasticised Nitrocellulose
      Jonathan Lavoie, Ecole Ploytechnique de Montreal
      Canmet Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory: Science in Support of Explosive Safety and Security
      S. Maach, Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory
      Canmet Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory Science in Support of Explosive Safety and Security
      S. Maach, Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory
      The Effect of Moisture on the Decomposition of Nitrocellulose Using Real-time Chemiluminescence
      Caroline O'Keefe, Cranfield University
      Quantitive Determination of NC Fines, Fragments and Dust by a Sedimentation Method
      Ian Levac, General Dynamics OTS-Canada Valleyfield
      Preparation and Standardardization of Methyly Violet Paper
      Ian Levac, General Dynamics OTS-Canada Valleyfield
      Development of Insensitive Munitions (IM) Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) Propellants for Large Calibre Gun Systems
      Mark Penny, BAE Systems Glascoed
         
      Workshop  
      Cellulose Specifications: Summary of the 2009 Proposed Up-grades and Improvements and New Possible Possibilities for Future Revisions
      Mario Paquet, General Dynamics OTS-Canada Valleyfield