Kinetite
Explosive material patented in 1884 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kinetite was an explosive material patented in 1884 by T. Petry and O. Fallenstein,[1] It consisted of nitrobenzene thickened or gelatinised by the addition of some collodion-cotton incorporated with finely ground potassium chlorate and precipitated antimony sulphide.[2] It is an orange coloured, plastic mass, with the characteristic strong smell of nitro-benzol.[2] It was manufactured by dissolving gun cotton in nitrobenzene.[1]
Developed as a safer alternative to dynamite, its manufacture and manipulation were claimed to be without danger, as it required a very high temperature to ignite and, under ordinary circumstances, could not be exploded by heat alone when unconfined.[2] Instead, it detonated only under shock, and then only the part exposed to concussion.[3] Largely manufactured in Germany, it was introduced to Australia in 1885 by Thomas Wilkins.[4] In the same year it was reported to be both £5 per ton cheaper than dynamite, and more efficient for mining operations: In sinking a shaft, a given weight of dynamite enabled 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in) to be sunk in 114 shifts, and with the same weight of kinetite 1.6 metres (5 ft 3 in) were sunk in 94 shifts.[4][5]