Gs. Peters et al., Ozone degradation study of novel chain extended energetic polymers containing carbon-carbon double bonds, PROP EXPL P, 25(4), 2000, pp. 191-198
A range of chemically modified energetic polymers has been synthesized. The
structural modification involves the incorporation of a double bond into t
he polymeric binder which allows subsequent degradation of the material by
ozonolysis thus providing an environmentally safe method for the disposal o
f munitions. This was achieved by reacting the energetic prepolymer, poly-N
IMMO, with a range of unsaturated diisocyanates where the double bond was i
ncorporated into the cross-linking i.e. "curing" agent. Firstly, poly-NIMMO
and cis-1,4-but-2-ene diol were reacted with hexamethylene diisocyanate. S
econdly, three unsaturated diisocyanates (two novel) were prepared in situ
from their corresponding diacyl azides and reacted with poly-NIMMO. The thr
ee diisocyanates prepared were 1,4-diphenoxy-trans-2-butene-diisocyanate, p
henylene diacrylic diisocyanate, and trans-2-butene-1,4-diisocyanate. The l
atter has been reported previously((1,2)) although never isolated and chara
cterized; however, this has been achieved successfully in this study. GPC o
f the chain extended polymers prepared by both methods showed the expected
increase in molecular weight distribution. A corresponding decrease followi
ng ozonolysis occurred particularly with the polymers prepared from 1,4-dip
henoxy-trans-2-butene-diisocyanate and phenylene diacrylic diisocyanate.