Characterization of nitrocellulose (NC)-ammonium dinitramide (ADN) based composite fibers prepared by electrospinning

Abstract The fluffy fibers based on nitrocellulose (NC)/ammonium dinitramide (ADN) with high explosives have been fabricated by electrospinning technique. The morphology, thermal stability, combustion behaviors and mechanical sensitivity of NC/ADN-based composite fibers were characterized by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differentialscanning calorimetry (DSC), gas pressure measurement of thermostatic decomposition, laser ignition and sensitivity test, respectively. The results showed that the prepared fibers with fluffy 3D macrostructure were constructed by the overlap of mirco/nanofibers with the energetic particles imbedded in NC matrix. The addition of ADN can accelerate the thermal decomposition with the peak temperature (Tp) decrease by 10.1 oC and the pressure rise time moving forward. Furthermore, ADN can decrease the ignition delay time of NC-based fibers under atmosphere at room temperature from 33 ms to 9 ms, and enhance the burning strength of NC-based fibers under normal pressure. In addition, the impact sensitivities were reduced from 100–56% for NC-based fibers containing CL-20 and from 88–56% for NC-based fibers containing RDX; the friction sensitivities were reduced from 100–64% for NC-based fibers containing CL-20 and from 84–60% for NC-based fibers containing RDX, respectively.