Publications

Deflagration kinetics of energetic binder, pgn

Stoltz, C.; Peiris, S.; Maharrey, S.; Behrens, Richard B.

Decomposition of PGN (Poly Glycidyl Nitrate) has been investigated using TJump/ FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and STMBMS (Simultaneous Thermogravimetric Modulated Beam Mass Spectrometry) in an effort to understand the effects of hydroxyl end-modification and isocyanate curing of PGN. T-Jump/FTIR allows real-time determination and quantification of decomposition gas products as samples are heated very fast (20°C/s) to simulate deflagration conditions. Our results identify decomposition gas products including: CH2O, H2O, CO2, CO, N2O, NO, NO2, HCN and HONO. PGN deflagration kinetic rates relative to CO2 formation and preliminary results on the effects of hydroxyl end-capping are presented. Slow heating, STMBS experiments aid in discerning possible mechanistic pathways by temporally separating decomposition gas products as they evolve. These results show that thermal decomposition of PGN is controlled by a three step reaction process: (I) decomposition of the CH2-ONO2 functional moiety, (II) reactions of initial low-molecular-weight species with each other, and (III) reactions of lowmolecular-weight species with the polymer backbone. While this work focuses only on ncured PGN prepolymer, future results will include the effects of isocyanate curing on standard and end-modified PGN.