Do_Not_Go_In_There
TIL that in 1846 Christian Friedrich Schönbein discovered a formula for nitrocellulose when working in his kitchen. He spilled nitric acid and sulfuric acid on the kitchen table, wiped it up with a cotton apron, then hung it on the stove door to dry. As soon as it was dry, the apron ignited.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Do_Not_Go_In_There t3_11ax8y6 in todayilearned
Do_Not_Go_In_There OP t1_j9ukl6m wrote
Reply to TIL that in 1846 Christian Friedrich Schönbein discovered a formula for nitrocellulose when working in his kitchen. He spilled nitric acid and sulfuric acid on the kitchen table, wiped it up with a cotton apron, then hung it on the stove door to dry. As soon as it was dry, the apron ignited. by Do_Not_Go_In_There
It should be noted that nitrocellulose wasn't a new discovery. It had been made in 1832, but Schönbein's discovery was more practical and became widely adopted, though guncotton itself was still dangerous to manufacture until more reliable methods came along.