Synthesis and Performance of Insensitive Ladder-Like Nitrocellulose

Abstract

The study of insensitive explosives and propellants has been receiving intensive attentions from the investigators. Nitrocellulose is a primary composition of high energy propellants. Due to its high sensitivity to external stimuli, many researches try to reduce its sensitivity to increase its security performance. In order to prepare the insensitive nitrocellulose, the step ladder-like nitrocellulose was synthesized by isophorone diisocyanate reacting with free hydroxyl groups of nitrocellulose first, and then reacting with the polyethylene glycol. The product was characterized by FTIR, SEM, TG, DSC and sensitivity test, respectively. Results show that the nitrocellulose is modified with polyethylene glycol successfully, and its morphology changes from the rod-like to the globular. Besides, the step ladder-like nitrocellulose has more moderate decomposition process and lower sensitivity with respect to the raw nitrocellulose.