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Compatibility of nitrocellulose with aniline-based compounds and their eutectic mixtures

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Abstract

Recently, both aniline-based compounds and their eutectic composition were found to be efficient stabilizers for nitrocellulose-based propellants. In this study, compatibility of nitrocellulose with two aniline-based compounds, viz, N-(2-methoxyethyl)-p-nitroaniline (MENA) and N-(2-acetoxyethyl)-p-nitroaniline (ANA), and their respective eutectic (MENA + ANA) has been investigated by nonthermal techniques (FTIR and XRD) and thermal techniques (DSC and VST according to STANAG 4147 requirements). The compatibility and the thermal stability of NC mixtures were further probed using stability tests (B&J and VST), kinetic modeling via fitting and free models on VST data, the determination of the isokinetic temperature, as well as the prediction of the storage lifetime. MENA was found to be compatible with NC. However, compatibility issues appeared once ANA is present in the NC mixtures. Finally, it was found that the lack of compatibility between nitrocellulose and stabilizer affects adversely the thermal stability and reduces significantly the storage lifetime of these mixtures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UER Procédés Energétiques, Ecole Militaire Polytechnique, EMP, BP 17, Bordj-El-Bahri, Algiers, Algeria

    Salim Chelouche, Djalal Trache, Ahmed Fouzi Tarchoun, Kamel Khimeche & Abderrahmane Mezroua

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  1. Salim Chelouche
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  2. Djalal Trache
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  3. Ahmed Fouzi Tarchoun
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  4. Kamel Khimeche
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  5. Abderrahmane Mezroua
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Correspondence to Salim Chelouche or Djalal Trache.

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Chelouche, S., Trache, D., Tarchoun, A.F. et al. Compatibility of nitrocellulose with aniline-based compounds and their eutectic mixtures. J Therm Anal Calorim 141, 941–955 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-09048-0

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