The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives [Hardcover]

Tenney L. Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1972 | ISBN-10: 0913022004 | ISBN-13: 978-0913022009

The present volume contains in one binding the whole contents of Volume I, first published in May, 1941, and the whole contents of Volume II which was published in March, 1943. The book was primarily for chemists. The writing of it was commenced in order that a textbook might be available for the use of students in the course in powder and explosives which the author gave for about twenty years (nearly every year since the first World War) to fourth-year and graduate students of chemistry and of chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.... The aim of the book has been too described as clearly and interestingly as possible and as fully as seemed profitable the modes of behavior, both physical and chemical, of explosive substances, whether these modes find practical application or not. Historical material has been included where it was thought that it contributed to this end, and has not been included elsewhere or for any other reason. It is a fact that a knowledge of the history of ideas, of persons, or of things produces something of the same sympathetic understanding of them that living with them and working with them does. --- excerpts from book's Preface

Product Details

• Hardcover: 506 pages
• Publisher: Angriff Press (June 1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0913022004
• ISBN-13: 978-0913022009
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #286,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #69 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Chemistry > Industrial & Technical

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not five - ten stars..., July 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives (Hardcover)

This is a chemistry book for all kinds of people interested in explosive chemistry.This book is not only for the advanced explosive expert,it is also written for the beginner,for learning the basic explosive characteristics. It provides us readers with a well rounded selection of high explosives,including dynamite,R.D.X,TNT,low explosives and propellants, Nitrosamines,primary explosives,the assembling of detonators,and a big chapter of Pyrotechnics is also include. And that is presented us all on 490 pp. for only $ 20.00.That's unbelivabely! He also tells us not only chemical and physical aspects,he discovers the manufacturing of explosives and pyrotechnic compositions through the past centuries and tells us historical facts about explosives.

62 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A landmark text., July 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives (Hardcover)

The late Dr. Davis produced this book as part of the material used for training his grad students in WWII about chemical engineering aspects of explosives. However, the best part of the book is probably the section on the history and development of explosives. Davis was one of those scientists who had a rare grasp not only of the theoretical and practical aspects of his field, but also its historical underpinnings. This book doesn't compare with Urbanski as far as chemical engineering goes, but rather gives a brief overview of many diffrent materials that were in use in the mid twentieth century. I wouldn't recommend this book as a lab manual, but would heartily endorse it as a place to begin the study of the history of this aspect of science.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real treat if you are interested in chemistry, April 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives (Hardcover)

I ran across this book (earlier edition) as a student. I am not a chemist but I loved chemistry. The book is well written, draws from a wide range of sources and gives fascinating details of reactions and practical details which I just never found anywhere else. I read it with great enjoyment and I hope you do too. Just don't be a bloody fool and maim yourself or kill anyone else. The chemistry and history are fine. Buggering about with them can be a bad, bad move; trust one who has tried!