ALKALINE-HYDROLYSIS OF MUNITIONS-GRADE NITROCELLULOSE

Cellulose nitrate compounds constitute an important industrial feedsto ck, with applications ranging from fingernail polish to photographic f ilms to explosives. Indeed, the latter use has strategic implications associated with the production of military munitions. However, the par ticularly high level of cellulose nitration required for these explosi ve materials creates a significant environmental problem with respect to the necessary degradation of waste 'fines' inevitably discharged fr om their manufacturing operations, Rather ironically, these waste soli ds have proven to be remarkably stable, leading to a traditional relia nce upon a primitive treatment approach (i.e., open-field incineration ) which is neither safe nor environmentally acceptable. This paper, th erefore, describes an alternative chemical degradation procedure based on alkaline hydrolysis. Primarily using sodium hydroxide at low perce nt dosage levels, this research effort has successfully achieved signi ficant levels of denitration and apparent breakdown of the backbone ce llulose structure. Furthermore, as compared with prior research on thi s topic, these results were achieved at markedly lower contact times a nd temperatures. However, two uncertainties still remain regarding thi s process, involving both the fate of a significant fraction of the or iginal nitrogen and the apparently lingering recalcitrant nature of th e post-degradation organics. In both cases, ongoing investigations hav e been instituted to resolve these issues.