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DOE OSTI · 2458174

Key Degradation Products in Nitroplasticizer Thermal Aging

Abstract

Upon thermal aging, nitroplasticizer (NP) can thermally degrade and release numerous degradation products depending on aging conditions. In this report, we summarize our recent findings, a library of key degradation products in the NP thermal aging is provided. The library contains 25 identified species with their corresponding MS/MS spectrum and intensity profiles, which are derived from our 44-month thermal aging experiment of NP conducted in air, nitrogen, and water at room temperature (RT), 38, 45, 55, and 64°C. To provide a comprehensive yet simplified overview of NP degradation, we summarized the proposed mechanisms of HONO elimination and decomposition, acid generation, PBNA nitrosation and nitration, acid-catalyzed hydrolyses of NP and polynitrated PBNAs, as well as the formation of NP degradants. As the last part of a series of publications and reports on the investigation of NP degradation mechanisms, this work further unfolds complex chemistry that occurs in the entire aging process of NP.

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Chen, Kitmin, Edgar, Alexander Steven, Kress, Joel David, Yang, Dali. 2024-10-01. Key Degradation Products in Nitroplasticizer Thermal Aging. https://doi.org/10.2172/2458174

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗