Thermal Decomposition of BAMO Copolymers

AbstractThe effects of copolymerization of THF, as an inert component, AMMO, as an energetic one and NMMO, as a nitrate ester, with BAMO on their thermal decomposition are reported here. Although the thermal decomposition of the BAMO and NMMO units in B/N(7/3) carry out independently and the heat generated by the NMMO unit decomposition accelerates the BAMO unit decomposition, the THF and AMMO units do not affect that of the BAMO unit in B/T(7/3) and B/A(7/3). One exothermic peak in DSC is shown for B/A(7/3) and B/T(7/3) except for B/N(7/3) which shows two peaks. One peak at lower temperature is from the NMMO unit decomposition and the other is from the BAMO unit. The rate of decomposition of B/A(7/3) is the same as that of poly(BAMO), which indicates that the reactivity of the AMMO unit is equal to that of the BAMO unit.In propellant, containing 75% HMX and 25% copolymer binder, burning rate of B/A(7/3)/HMX is faster than that of B/N(7/3)/HMX. Although the heat of decomposition for B/A(7/3) in DSC is smaller than that for B/N(7/3), that of B/A(7/3)/HMX is larger than that of B/N(7/3)/HMX. The reaction occurred in the condensed phase of the propellant, therefore, may play an important role in the combustion.