# How Alfred Nobel Stabilized Nitroglycerin with Dynamite

> Alfred Nobel's 1868 patent for dynamite, which made the volatile liquid explosive nitroglycerin safe to handle by mixing it with an absorbent material.

- **Patent:** US 78317
- **Original title:** Improved explosive compound
- **Owner:** Alfred Nobel
- **Granted:** 1868
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 5
- **Field:** mechanical, materials, energy

## What it does

The patent describes a method for stabilizing liquid nitroglycerin by combining it with a porous, inert substance like kieselguhr (diatomaceous earth). By absorbing the liquid into this solid material, the mixture becomes a paste that is significantly less sensitive to physical shock or accidental detonation. This allowed the explosive to be shaped into cartridges and transported safely, whereas liquid nitroglycerin was notoriously dangerous and prone to exploding without warning.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover the chemical synthesis of nitroglycerin itself.
- Does not cover liquid-based explosive formulations that lack an absorbent solid carrier.
- Does not cover later high-explosive developments like TNT or plastic explosives.

## The clever bit

Nobel realized that the danger of nitroglycerin came from its liquid state, so he essentially turned a liquid into a solid to control its reactivity.

## Real-world examples

1. Construction of the Panama Canal
2. Mining operations in the 19th and 20th centuries
3. Railroad tunnel blasting

## Why it matters

This invention fundamentally changed civil engineering and mining. By making explosives reliable and transportable, it enabled the construction of major infrastructure like tunnels, canals, and railways across the globe. It also provided the financial foundation for the Nobel Prize.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How Alfred Nobel Stabilized Nitroglycerin with Dynamite cover?

Alfred Nobel's 1868 patent for dynamite, which made the volatile liquid explosive nitroglycerin safe to handle by mixing it with an absorbent material.

### Who owns patent US 78317?

Alfred Nobel owns this patent, granted in 1868.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.

### What is patent US 78317 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 5 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This invention fundamentally changed civil engineering and mining. By making explosives reliable and transportable, it enabled the construction of major infrastructure like tunnels, canals, and railways across the globe. It also provided the financial foundation for the Nobel Prize.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover the chemical synthesis of nitroglycerin itself.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/78317/dynamite-nobel

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US78317

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._


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