SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL OXIDIZER FOR COMPOSITE PROPELLANTS

Abstract

Enhanced performance of propellants and explosives is the most sought-after attribute for ambitious research progress in the field of high energy materials. Defense and space sector priorities have always kept research and development efforts active in the area of propellants and explosives. The use of chlorine free high performance oxidizers in solid rocket propellants may reduce launch cost while producing less polluting exhaust products. Considerable effort has been expended in the search for high energy oxidizers that are useful in rocket propellant formulation. These oxidizers should be dense, thermally stable and relatively shock insensitive. It has now been found that hydrazinium nitformate (HNF) has the required properties. Nitroform is a very valuable compound for use in the preparation of HNF due to its high oxygen contents and labile hydrogen atom. Many methods have been tried to obtain HNF of desired quality. Present work deals with a new method of producing trinitromethane (nitroform) by the nitration of isopropyl alcohol with a mixture of fuming nitric acid and concentrated sulphuric acid and the isolation of nitroform with the help of dichloroethane. To the best of our knowledge these two approaches have been employed for the first time. Further the present work relates to a method of preparing HNF by the addition of 96% hydrazine to a solution of nitroform in dichloroethane followed by the purification of the product by means of recrystallization, a solution being made in methanol. Various instrumental techniques have been employed to characterize HNF prepared during the present work, which confirm the purity of the compound.