This little setback didn’t deter him from looking for even more spectacular, interesting ways to demonstrate his rockets. Since the discovery of Rocket Candy, he began his own investigations, substituting for example the saltpeter/potassium nitrate/KNO3 with chlorates. As James Cubush wrote in his System of Pyrotechny (1825): “Mr Ruggieri is of opinion, that chlorate, or hyperoxymuriate of potassa may be employed with advantage in the composition of rockets, but we have not heard that I has been used successfully so far.” (1)
Indeed the resulting mixture was not ineffective but potentially rather highly explosive. In fact the stuff became later known as the partisan's mixture. It earned that name from it use by revolutionaries and such. It can be exploded by concentrated sulphuric acid that eats through a metal container in a few hours or days. Any revolutionaries using chlorates usually blew themselves up however, sooner or later. Ruggieri’s trials were part of a larger revolution that took place in pyrotechnique at the time.
So far Roman candles, rockets, wheels, table fireworks, aerial bombs, all of them had employed pyrotechnic mixtures containing potassium nitrate along with sulfur and charcoal and certain other combustible materials. The variety of the ingredients was small and the variety of possible technical setups had been exhausted.
A new era began with the introduction of potassium chlorate, that saw improved effects, louder sharper explorations,, differing colors and more. It all began when Claude Louis Berthollet in 1786 first recognized potassium chlorate as a new compound and was able to purify it. Fourcroy said after the discovery that the “superoxygenerated muriate of potash seems to contain the element of the thunderbolt in its molecules. ….Nature seems to have concentrated all her power of detonation, fulmination and inflammation in this terrible compound”
The colored flame composition of the pyrotechnique revolution was helped by chlorate but also new compounds that were tested in its wake such as strontium and barium who produce nice, brilliant colors, respectively red and green.
The problem with the scientific discussion was pyrotechnics was as in the case of Ruggieri a family business. Thus most people kept their exact formula for themselves. Fortunately in his desire for recognition he publicized some of his most important innovations. He was cautious enough to not do it in any exact detail.
Now, Ruggeri’s stroke of genius was to combine potassium chlorate/ammonium chlorate with asphalt. During the thirties there were two other revolutions, aside of the pyrotechnique one sweeping trough France. The first was the political uprising, July Revolution, but far more important for this story was a sudden surge of interest in asphalt.
It became widely used for “pavements, flat roofs, and the lining of cisterns” It was a phenomenon that caught all of Europe by surprise. In France it was fueled by the re/discovery of natural deposits in Osbann and the Parc l'Ain as well as the Puy-de-la-Poix. One of the earliest uses was the laying of about 24,000 square yards of Seyssel asphalt at the Place de la Concorde in 1835.
Ruggeri tried if mixing asphalt with chlorate could reap similar or better results than combining it with melted sugar. The goal either way was to knead the mass into the desired shapes. He tried both using the volatile potassium chlorate as well as the newly discovered ammonium perchlorat. The later was recently discovered by the German chemist Eilhard Mitscherlich, in 1832 to be exact.
Ruggieri presented his model rockets in front of an interested audience and gained quiet some fame in intellectual circles. Especially in London’s rocket obsessed social circles he gained a heroic reputation. Two big hurdles still remained. All of these chemicals were only available in laboratory quantities and could not be reasonably mass produced before the age of electrification.
The other minor announce was that it took a few more decades until the superior components of synthetic rubbers as well as potassium perchlorate were discovered. Nevertheless Ruggeri opened two windows. He first showed the world that living beings/scientific instruments could be transported with rockets. Second he also promoted the fact that there were other options for solid fuels waiting to be discovered besides sugar or gunpowder.
Notes and Sources
( 1) People had way too much time back then. Case in point the full title of the book:
“
A system of pyrotechny: comprehending the theory and practice, with the application of chemistry : designed for exhibition and for war : in four parts, containing an account of the substances used in fire-works : the instruments, utensils, and manipulations : fire-works for exhibition : and military pyrotechny : adapted to the military and naval officer, the man of science, and the artificer”
Tenney L. Davis , (1948):
The Early Use of Potassium Chlorate in Pyrotechny: Dr. Moritz Meyer's Colored Flame Compositions.
University of California Press
Flash! Bang! Whiz! An introduction to propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics and fireworks
https://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/bang.htm
Harry W. Mace (1961):
Ammonium Perchlorate Asphalt Base Propellant.
Patent Nr. 2978306 April
Glendale California
Army Department (1984):
Technical Manuel, Military Explosives.
Washington D.C
Wikipedia: Asphalt