Construction of nitrate glycerol ether cellulose/RDX energetic composite in gun propellants and its comprehensive performance

In energetic materials, high-energy propellants always encounter poor mechanical properties. Herein, a novel energetic binder nitrate glycerol ether cellulose (NGEC)/hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) composite was prepared by a facile, safe water suspension and freeze-drying technology, and integrated in gun propellant (GP) through semi-solvent manufacturing. A series of characterizations and tests were conducted to characterize the NGEC/RDX-GP. The findings revealed that the mechanical properties in terms of the impact strength of NGEC/RDX-GPs with different content of NGEC was improved by 15.3% ~ 117.1%, 3.9% ~ 34.6%, 6.9% ~ 31.1% under conditions of -40 °C, 20 °C and 50 °C; the compression strength was improved by 2.5% ~ 23.1%, 10.7% ~ 27.9%, 7.3% ~ 28.5%, while the tensile strength was improved by 15.4% ~ 35.0%, 10.4% ~ 33.0%, 11.8% ~ 35.5%, respectively. Besides, the thermal decomposition dynamics and thermodynamics were also investigated to probe the thermal properties of NGEC/RDX-GP. Moreover, the impact and electrostatic spark sensitivity have also been tested and present excepted results compared with neat propellant. In addition, the improved gunpowder impetus of NGEC/RDX-GP indicated that the energetic performance of propellant was further enhanced, and maintained stable combustion behavior. Finally, the enhancement mechanism of the propellant was discussed and proposed. Therefore, this construction strategy and application of NGEC/RDX composites in propellants can provide reliable fundamental theory and data support for the development of high performances propellant. Graphical abstract