Why did gelatinous dynamites have strong water resistance?

Gelatinous dynamites, invented by Alfred Nobel in 1875, derived their strong water resistance from the process of gelatinization. By adding 7 to 8 percent of collodion-type nitrocotton (a form of nitrocellulose) to nitroglycerin, the mixture was transformed into a tough, plastic, jellylike mass.12

This gelatinous state provided the explosive with a high degree of plasticity and a dense consistency that effectively resisted water penetration. Unlike earlier dynamite varieties that relied on porous absorbents, the gelatinized structure allowed the material to remain stable and functional even in wet conditions, such as when loading boreholes. This physical transformation was a significant advancement, as it combined superior water resistance with greater blasting power compared to non-gelatinous dynamites.13