What invented Nobel phone or dynamite. Who invented dynamite? Detailed analysis

Alfred Bernhard Nobel - Swedish chemist, engineer and industrialist who invented dynamite and more powerful explosives, and founded the Nobel Prize.

Biography

The future inventor of dynamite Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm (Sweden) 21.10.1833. He was the fourth son of Emmanuel and Carolina Nobel. Emmanuel was an engineer who married Carolina Andriette Alzel in 1827. There were eight children from whom only Alfred and three brothers achieved mature age. In childhood, Nobel often sick, but from an early age he showed live curiosity. He was interested in explosive substances and learned the basics of engineering in his father. The Father, meanwhile, failed in various commercial enterprises, until in 1837 he moved to St. Petersburg, where he became a successful manufacturer of mines and tools.

Life abroad

In 1842, Nobel's family left Stockholm to join the Father in St. Petersburg. Alfred's rich parents could now hire private teachers to him, and he was an impatient student. By the age of 16, Nobel became a knowledgeable chemist who were free to speak English, German, French and Russian.

In 1850, Alfred left Russia to spend a year in Paris, studying chemistry, and then four years in the United States, working under the leadership of John Erikson, which was created by the creation of the Monitor armor. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, he worked at the factory of his father who made military equipment during the Crimean War. At the end of hostilities in 1856, the company with difficulty passed to the manufacture of equipment for steamers and went bankrupt in 1859

Bet on nitroglycerin

The future inventor of dynamite in Russia did not stay and returned to Sweden with his parents, and his brothers Robert and Ludwig decided to save the remains of the family enterprise. Soon Alfred began to experiment with explosives in a small laboratory in the estate of his father. At that time, the only reliable explosive used in the mines was black powder. Recently created liquid nitroglycerin was much more powerful, but it was so unstable that he could not provide any security. Nevertheless, in 1862, Nobel built a small plant for its production, while at the same time conducting research in the hope of finding a way to control his detonation.

In 1863, he invented a practical detonator consisting of a wooden plug inserted into a large nitroglycerin charge stored in a metal container. The explosion of the small charge of black powder in the plug detonated a much more powerful charge of liquid explosives. This detonator laid the beginning of the reputation of Nobel as an inventor, as well as his condition that he would acquire as a manufacturer of explosives.

In 1865, Alfred created an improved capsule detonator, which consisted of a small metal cover with the charge of the rattle mercury, undermined either by a blow or a moderate heating. This invention has served as the beginning of the modern use of explosives.

Accident

Nitroglycerin himself, however, was difficult to transport, and he was extremely dangerous in circulation. So dangerous that the Nobel plant exploded in 1864, having carried away the life of his younger brother Emil and other people. Not frightened by this tragic accident, Alfred built several plants for use with its capsules. These enterprises were as safe as the knowledge of the time allowed, but random explosions continued to occur.

Successful accident

The second important invention of Nobel was dynamite. In 1867, he accidentally discovered that nitroglycerin is completely absorbed by porous silica, and the resulting mixture was much more secure in use and easier in circulation. Alfred is a dynamite inventor (from the Greek Δύναμις, "power") - received patents in the UK (1867) and the United States (1868). The explosive glorified her creator all over the world, and soon she began to be used when laying tunnels and canals, construction of iron and highways.

Hardening jelly

In the 1870-80s, the inventor of dynamite Alfred Nobel built a network of explosive plants throughout Europe and formed a network of corporations for their sale. He also continued to experiment in search of the best of them, and in 1875 he created a more powerful form of dynamite, the rattling jelly, which he patented next year. Again, he accidentally found that a mixture with loose fibrous substance, known as nitrocellulose, forms a dense, plastic material with high water resistance and greater explosion power. In 1887, Nobel presented a ballistic, nitroglycerin smokeless powder and predecessor of Cordita. Although Alfred possessed patents to dynamite and other explosives, he was in a constant conflict with competitors, stolen his technology, which forced him several times to lead a protracted patent dispute.

Oil, weapons, wealth

Brothers and Robert, meanwhile, developed recently open oil deposits near Baku (now in Azerbaijan) from the Caspian Sea and themselves became very rich. Sales around the world of explosives, as well as participation in the companies of the brothers in Russia brought a huge fortune in Russia. In 1893, the inventor of dynamite became interested in the Military Industry of Sweden, and next year I bought a cast iron-smelting plant in Borhas, not far from Vermland, which became the center of the famous weapons factory. In addition to explosives, Nobel came up with many other things such as leather, and in general he registered more than 350 patents in various countries.

Asket, Writer, Parefist

The inventor of dynamite Nobel was a complex person, which was puzzled by his contemporaries. Although business interests demanded almost permanent travel from him, he remained a lonely hermit, which was inclined to the attacks of depression. Alfred led a secluded and simple life, he was a man of ascetic habits, but he could be a polite owner, and a good listener, and a man of the insightful mind.

The dynamite inventor was never married, and, apparently, preferred the joy of creativity with romantic affections. He had an overwhelming interest in literature, he wrote plays, novels and poems, almost completely remaining unpublished. He possessed amazing energy, and he was not easy to relax after intensive work. Among the contemporaries, he enjoyed a reputation as a liberal or even the Socialist, but in fact he did not trust democracy, was against the election law for women and supported soft paternalism towards his numerous employees. Although the Swedish dynamite inventor was essentially a pacifist and expressed the hope that the destructive strength of his creations would help put the end of the war, his view of humanity and peoples was pessimistic.

Surprise testament

By 1895, Alfred developed angina region, and on December 10 of the next year, he died from hemorrhage into the brain on his own villa in San Remo (Italy). By this time, Nobel's business empire consisted of more than 90 plants for the production of explosives and ammunition. His will, drawn up in Paris 11/27/1895 and transferred to the bank in Stockholm, contained a large surprise for his family, friends and the general public. The inventor of dynamite was always generous to humanitarian and scientific charitable institutions and most of the state left confidential office to establish the most highly appreciated international award, the Nobel Prize.

Death Death Death

One can only guess about the reasons for such a solution. He was secretive and did not speak anyone about one decision all the few months preceding his death. The most believable is the assumption that the strange incident that occurred in 1888 may cause a chain of reflections that led to his testament. In the same year, Alfred's brother Ludwig died during his stay in Cannes, in France. The French press reported on the death of his brother, but confused him with Alfred, and one of the newspapers came out with the headline "Death Death". Perhaps the inventor of dynamite established prizes to avoid this kind of posthumous reputation, expressed by this premature necrologist. Obviously, the established awards reflect his interest in the field of chemistry, physics, physiology and literature. There is also a lot of evidence that his friendship with an outstanding Austrian pathetist Berthn von Testner inspired him to create a premium of the world.

Nobel himself, however, remains a figure, full of paradoxes and contradictions: a brilliant lonely man, in part pessimist and partly the idealist who invented powerful explosives used in the modern war, and installed the most prestigious awards in the world for intellectual services rendered to humanity.

In St. Petersburg, on the Petrogradskaya embankment, you can see an unusual monument, which is a bizarre tree from bronze. A large bird hides in its branches, and the roots go to the granite pedestal. On one of the faces, the inscription "Alfred Nobel" is knocked out. The photo of the monument is in our article.

Nobels in Russia

The place for the monument is not chosen by chance. The embankment of the Bolshoi Nevka at the Vyborg side has the most direct attitude towards the life of an outstanding scientist, engineer and entrepreneur. Until 1999, the engineering plant was stood up until 1999. It was founded in 1862 by Ludwig Nobel and wore his name. In 1917, the enterprise was nationalized and renamed Russian Diesel. However, the hero of our article is not Ludwig, and his younger brother is Alfred Nobel.

Nobel family lived in Russia for a long time. Father and sons were engaged in industrial production of engines, component parts for machines and mechanisms. Nobels worked in the oil industry. They settled the preparation, processing and transportation of black Baku gold. Their merit lies in the equipment of the Russian army and the fleet by mines, bombs and shells.

Not only commerce was the lot of the family. They have given a lot of strength and funds to charity - established scholarships, financed scientific research, medical institutions and cultural institutions.

Origin of the surname

Nobel's biography was removed only from the 17th century. His grandfather's father's grandfather was a barbier by the name Nobelius. In those days, this profession, in addition to haircuts hair and shaving, the bristles included also surgical operations - bloodletting and pulling into teeth. In 1775, the ancestor reduced his surname.

Childhood

Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm on October 21, 1833. Father, Emmanuel Nobel, left Sweden together with his family in 1842. By the time of arrival in our country from eight children survived only four - Alfred, Emil, Robert and Ludwig. In the homeland, the family really dismissed. Father interrupted by random earnings. He was a talented man - dismantled in architecture, construction, possessed the talent of the inventor. His last attempt to ensure in his homeland a decent life to his wife and children was the organization of an enterprise for the production of elastic tissues, but it didn't go to Russia in Sweden, and he went to Russia, first to the north, in Finland, which was then part of the empire, and then St. Petersburg.

Life in Russia

Our country was on the rise - the era of the development of large industrial industries began. On this time, the older brothers and Alfred Nobel himself were always remembered with the warmth. The brief biography of all three is almost every encyclopedic dictionary.

Emmanuel Nobel quickly mastered in a new place. The head of the family engaged in the production of lathes and equipment for them, as well as the manufacture of metal buildings for the mines invented by them. Soon he converted here and the family. Emmanuel Nobel and his wife Andrietta settled in a large and comfortable home, hired children of good private teachers, acquired assistants in the economy.

All sons were remarkably talented and hardworking people. Parents gave them a good education and taught to work. Not an exception and Alfred Nobel. Biography testifies that in addition to his native language, he perfectly owned Russian, German, French and English. At 17, Alfred went for three years to France, Germany and the United States, where he continued to education.

Returning to Russia, Nobel Alfred settled in the Father's company, producing ammunition for the Crimean Military Campaign. In 1856, the war ended, and Manufactory, Emmanuel Nobel, in order not to go bankrupt, demanded a speedy reorganization. This was engaged in Ludwig and Robert, and Alfred with her parents and younger brother Emil returned to Sweden.

Return to Sweden

In Stockholm Alfred began to exercise long-time ideas from the field of mechanics and chemistry. It worked very successfully and even patented three inventions.

Alfred's parents settled in the suburb of Stockholm. In his estate, Emmanuel arranged an experimental laboratory in which he conducted experiments on detonation.

The only explosive used at the time in the military was black powder. About the explosive properties of nitroglycerin then already knew. The Italian Chemist Ascano Sobero first synthesized him in 1847, but no one could "tame" a dangerous chemical connection yet. The danger was a rapid transition of a substance from any state in easily exploding gas.

After several encouraging experiments, Emmanuel connected his son to his work. Alfred Nobel (a brief biography contains such information) engaged in searching for sponsors. By 1861, such was found in France. He gave a loan for a hundred thousand francs. Working with explosives was not interested in the future "Father of Dynamite", as Alfred Nobel later began to be called. However, to refuse to help the parent, he did not want and joined his experiments.

Two years later, Nobel Alfred came up with a device in which nitroglycerin was placed in a separate, hermetically closed reservoir, and the detonator was in the next, so-called capsule. This element began to cast from metal. Thus, the probability of a random explosion is practically excluded. With further improvement of the invention, the black powder was replaced by mercury.

During one of the experiments, a powerful explosion occurred in the laboratory, an eight-person life. Among them was Emil. The father hardly survived the death of the younger son, and soon the blow had happened to the bed, chained him to bed for almost seven years, until the death that happened in 1872, when he was 71 years old.

Alfred Nobel from youth was fond of chemistry (studied from the famous Nikolai Zinin) and at the age of 17 went from St. Petersburg, where the Nobel family lived, to Europe. In Paris from 1850 to 1852, he was a student at the famous Chemist of Theophil-Jules Pelusa, one of the inventors of Pyroxilina. It is probably then that Alfred found out about the new explosive substance - Nitroglycerin, who in 1847 received one of the students of Peluza - Italian Ascanio Sobero. However, the discoverer warned that nitroglycerin possesses not only a mighty force, but also extremely bad character: explodes from the slightest push or heating.

After returning to Russia, Alfred considered various business opportunities, and Zinin reminded him of a promising explosive, Capped Nitroglycerin on anvil and hitting her hammer. Nobel noticed that only a small part of the substance was reacted, but the demonstration impressed him, and he decided to engage in the production of capricious explosives. In 1860, he began his experiments with the fact that he placed a flask with nitroglycerin with a jar with gunpowder so that the entire nitroglycerin was leaving during the explosion of gunpowder. By 1863, after passing the stage of countless prototypes, this design turned into a metal sleeve with gunpowder (later replaced by a rattling mercury) and the castom is almost a modern detonator, which many are not particularly considered to be the main invention of Nobel. At the same time, he patented "explosive oil" - a mixture of nitroglycerin with gunpowder, which began to produce.

In the autumn of 1864, an explosion took place at the Nobel Factory in Stockholm, which took the lives of his brother Emil and four more people. Alfred stood up this blow of fate, creating a new NitroGlycerin AB company (although the authorities were not allowed to build a factory in the city). In the spring of 1865, he established a German branch, and in the 1866th American. But during Nobel's trip to the United States, the German factory flew to the air. In the laboratory, located on the barge, on the Elbe River, near the ruins of the factory, Alfred one after another conducted experiments, mixing nitroglycerin with various substances - chalk, sawdust, cement, trying to solve the problem. Only a year later, he came across Kizelgur, in the abundance of the German wasteland. This porous breed absorbed nitroglycerin, turning into a plastic mass, which exploded only from the detonator, while it could be safe to throw into a fire or hit her hammer. Nobel called its invention "dynamite".

Dynamite played a huge role in the construction of modern civilization: pierced the tunnels, laid the road and digged the channels.

Many chemist scientists in the XIX century performed experiments with nitroglycerin, the dangerous explosive. The goal was to make it managed and subject to human will. How to transport nitroglycerin without his explosion from the slightest shock, how to make the power of the explosion aimed and useful for life? These tasks managed to solve the Swedish scientist Alfred Nobyl, the inventor of dynamite.

Random discovery

As a child, the future inventor of dynamite was very interested in chemical experiments. Being the son of the Swedish manufacturer, who worked in Russia for a long time and sufficiently well, Alfred received a brilliant education in Germany, was invented in France. Becoming a chemical scientist, he worked for several years in the United States at the steamers factory.

In 1856, the whole family Nobel returned to Sweden, and Alfred came to work with Nitroglycerin. The discovery occurred when when transporting bottles with a dangerous substance, covered with a layer of loose soil, one still crashed. But the terrible explosion did not follow. Having made the conclusions, Nobel began to experiment with various additives to nitroglycerin. After a series of experiments, he created a unique substance that preserved his terrible force, but absolutely subject to man.

1867 is the year of birth of dynamite, which has enormous influence on the human history, which has solved the outcomes of wars and the fate of whole countries. Nobel picked up the optimal composition of explosives: wood flour is impregnated with nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose, sodium or potassium nitrate is added. The homogeneous mixture is molded in the form of briquettes or cylinders with an indoor indoor detonator.

Application of dynamics

A. Nobel patented dynamite for economic use. With it, they were made tunnels in the mountains, the channels broke out, the river and bottom of the bays were cleared, the mining work was carried out in many countries, transforming the landscape for the benefit of a person. It brought huge revenues to Nobyl, he built new manuff for the production of dynamite and by the beginning of 1880 owned twenty factories.

Soon the dynamite was applied for military purposes. The first use in 1870 in the war between France and Prussia showed its strength and huge prospects for military campaigns. Dynamite became universally used for destruction and death. A. Nobel also received considerable money from each batch produced for the murder of dynamite.

Heritage A. Nobel

The inventor of dynamite, the "bloody millionaire", as he called him a press, was not married and had no heirs. For 1 year before his death, in 1895 he made a will, glorifying him much more than dynamite. The multi-million state of A. Nobel is already a second hundred years to serve for the benefit of the life and prosperity of mankind, supporting chemistry, physics, medicine, literature and activity on the establishment of nations.

Now dynamite applies very rarely and only for economic purposes. And his inventors remember as a great scientist, and after his death of the participating in the development of science and art.

The debts for those who were not justified by the invention, the perseverance of creditors and a fire that destroyed the house of Shaved Emmanuel Nobel, forced his family to leave his native Stockholm. Nebelle was found in St. Petersburg in 1837. The city on the Neva took the family welcomingly, offered her a new life and new perspectives.

In the Russian capital, the nobeli has established the production of marine mines and lathes, and when they finally got up to their feet, they decided to send their son Alfred to learn abroad. The 16-year-old young man traveled hardly not the whole of Europe, until he was in Paris. There he met the Italian chemist Ascanio Sobero - a man who discovered Nitroglycerin.

Alfred was warned: nitroglycerin - a dangerous substance, at any moment he could explode. But the young man of warning seems to be only pronounced. He wanted to learn how to manage explosive energy, find it useful use. Moreover, the Crimean War (1853-1856), who enriched Nobel's family, was over.

Enterprises that brightened for the military orders of the state, suffered losses, and Native Alfred risked again to remain not with cases. Son duty and ambition of the young scientist motivated him to move forward, and in 1863 his works were rewarded. Alfred invented the detonator with a rattling mercury. Contemporaries considered the achievement of Nobel the largest since the opening of the powder, but it was only the beginning of his path.

According to Professor of the Mining Institute, the NITE MISIS, the President of the National Organization of Blade Engineers Vladimir Belin, "Nobel's detonator is still functional and in its layout is not much different from the modern."

• Alfred Nobel
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• Science Museum

"In the case of powder charges, the person who is ignited is in close proximity. With the help of a detonator, he may be outside the possible defeat, "Belin noted in a conversation with RT. - No need to forget that Alfred Nobel was a businessman. He delayed the development of other industrial explosive substances (explosives) for 20 years. Nobel bought a patent for ammonary-saltrying explosives, which were not as effective as dynamite, but less dangerous. But in any case, all the explosives of the world honor Nobel's memory, consider it the founder of a modern explosive case. "

After some time, a young scientist left St. Petersburg and returned to his native Sweden, where he continued experiments with Nitroglycerin and founded the workshop that changed the life of the family forever.

On September 3, 1864, an explosion thundered in the workshop of the Nobel. Alfred knew about the danger of nitroglycerin, more than once became a witness of explosions and accidents, but even unfortunate experiences did not bring him so much pain. One of the victims was his 20-year-old Brother Emil. The news of the death of his son shook Emmanuel Nobel, he survived the stroke and remained forever to bed. Long burned and Albert, but the pain of loss did not break him down, and he continued his research.

By no case

In a short time, Nobyl managed to find investors who agreed to sponsor his research. Nitroglycerin factories began to appear in different cities. But that's what the explosions came to them, which were worthwhile to workers. More often in the air, vehicles took off, transporting flasks with a chemical. Stories have become details, rumors appeared that created the soil for speculation and panic. Ultimately, Alfred was required. Following all the stages of production of Nitroglycerin, he developed a list of rules that helped protect the process of obtaining a substance and its transportation.

In liquid state, nitroglycerin was still extremely dangerous. Blinding, improper storage or transportation at any time could lead to an explosion. Considering the specifics of the substance, Nobel went to the trick: began to add methyl alcohol into it, thanks to which Nitroglycerin stopped being explosive. But where one door opened, another closed. Return the nitroglycerin explosive power was almost as difficult and dangerous. The process of distillation of alcohol from nitroglycerin could cause an explosion. Trying to make a substance to solid, Nobel came to a revolutionary solution, which led to the creation of dynamite.

Paper, brick dust, cement, chalk, even sawdust - mixing nitroglycerin with these materials did not give the desired results. The solution to the problem was Kizelgur, or, as it is also called, "Mountain Flour". This is similar to loose limestone rock rock, which can be found on the bottom of the reservoirs. Easy, malleable, affordable material has become a response to all Alfred questions.

According to one of the legends, the popularity of Nobel's life, the idea of \u200b\u200busing Kizeligur visited him quite by chance. During the transport of nitroglycerin, one of the bottles of cracked, and its contents resulted in the package made from the Kizelguric cardboard. Nobel checked the resulting mixture to explode. All tests were successful: the mixture was safer than the gunpower and more powerful five times, for which he received its name - dynamite (from the ancient Greek "power"). The name contributed to the commercial success of the invention: first, first, to avoid mentioning the whole world of Nitroglycerin, and secondly, to pay attention to the huge power of the explosive new.

On the wave of success

The rate of dynamite production has steadily grew, and in the next eight years, Alfred opened 17 plants. Nobel explosives helped to complete the work on the 15-kilometer Gothard Tunnel in the Alps and the Corinthian Canal in Greece. Dynamiz was also used in the construction of over 300 bridges and 80 tunnels. But soon, the founder of the business empire began to appear competitors, which forced Nobel to think about the modernization of explosives.

• Gotard tunnel in the Alps
• Wikimedia.

Dynamite was weaker pure nitroglycerin, it was difficult to use under water, and with a long storage he lost its properties. Then Alfred came to mind a new idea - if you believe legend, again completely by chance. During the experiments, he cut a finger with glass of a broken flask. The wound was treated by a collodiment - a thick adhesive solution, which, when drying, forms a thin film. Nobel suggested that this substance is perfectly mixed with nitroglycerin. And it turned out to be right. The next day, he built a new explosive - "Hardening jelly", called subsequently the most perfect dynamite.

Truck epoch

In the XIX century, the invention of Alfred Nobel produced a revolution in the mining industry. According to Belin, it was problematic and, most importantly, unsafe, and, most importantly, are difficult to produce minerals with powder charges. The dynamite applied to replace the dynamite applied. But at some point he began to obscure and replaced him with more advanced technologies.

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• Craig Lovell.

"In the Russian Federation dynamite is not applied due to the danger of storage, transportation and applications. Today, the world operates on ammonium-saltryans and so-called emulsion explosives, which have guaranteed and regulated explosive characteristics. With their help, you can do, for example, so that the charge is dangerous during the week. After a certain period, his combat properties are not going to no, "Belin told," and an explosive is transported, but an emulsion matrix. Explosive characteristics are purchased after charging in wells, cameras, leaf, etc.. "

Dynamiz was sometimes used in military affairs, but reluctantly and with caution. The wines of the whole sensitivity of explosives: it could easily explode with improper storage, strip over the bullet or in an artillery projectile.

The editor-in-chief of the Arsenal Fatherland magazine, the colonel of the reserve Viktor Murakhovsky noted in a conversation with RT, which dynamite was practically not applied as an ammunition.

"Such an element, like Troil, and explosives based on it appeared pretty quickly. But for military purposes, the dynamite was not very convenient, "said Murakhovsky. - During the war, it was used except on the stages of engineering work: when the fortifications or, on the contrary, clearing the territories. It is known as an industrial explosive, and not as a military. "

In some countries, dynamines in limited quantities are used to this day. It is released, for example, in Finland and the United States. In the United States, only one company is engaged in production. Dynamite is usually produced in the form of "cartridges" of different sizes filled with plastic or powdered explosive. Still dynamite are used in mountain matter or with the demolition of buildings.