PROMÉTHÉE or PROMETHEUS is a Sprengel explosive made by the French Government, by whom it is also called Explosif O3. It consists of a porous oxygen carrier and a liquid combustible, which are supplied separately, and the one is dipped in the other shortly before use—

a b c 
Potassium chlorate   95   90 80 } Oxygen carrier, 92 to 87%
Manganese dioxide 5 10 20 }

1
2 
Nitro-benzene — 50   60 } Combustible, 8 to 13%
Turpentine — 20 15 }
Naphtha — 30 25 }

Any combination of a, b or c with 1 or 2 may be used. The amount of liquid combustible taken up may vary from 8 to 13 per cent.: this irregularity is a serious defect, and may cause incomplete detonation. This explosive is also made in Italy.

PROSPERIT is a German ammonium nitrate explosive, containing also vegetable meal, nitro-compounds and other constituents. It may contain up to 4 per cent. of [blasting gelatine].

Gelatine-Prosperit contains also up to 20 per cent. of dinitro-chlorhydrin gelatinised with collodion cotton.

PULVÉRIN.—An ungranulated [black powder] made in France for use in fireworks, etc.

PULVÉRITE.—A Belgian coal-mine explosive containing perchlorate—

Ammonium nitrate30·5
Potassium perchlorate  24 
Nitroglycerine6 
Collodion cotton0·5
Trinitro-toluene7 
Flour5 
Sodium chloride18 
Ammonium sulphate7 
Barium sulphate2 

The “charge limite” is 850 grammes, equivalent to 504 grammes of Dynamite No. 1.

PYROCOLLODION is a nitrocotton almost entirely soluble in ether-alcohol, and of comparatively high nitration. It contains about 12·5 to 12·7 per cent. of nitrogen, and consequently has about enough oxygen to oxidise all its hydrogen to water, and its carbon to the monoxide. It was first prepared by Mendeléeff for the Russian smokeless powder, and was afterwards adopted by the United States for their present powder.