Supercritical Fluid Processing of Propellant Polymers
Abstract
Polymeric pre-propellant binders are known to be heterogeneous materials exhibiting significant variation with respect to molecular weight, structure, functionally, and related performance properties. The objective of this program was to demonstrate the feasibility of fractionating propellant binders with supercritical fluid (SCF) solvents. Hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) (R-45M, Atochem North America) was fractionated with supercritical propane yielding ten fractions with number average molecular weights ranging from 780 to 11760 and polydispersities of approximately 1.2. The increase in hydroxyl equivalent weight with nonlinear, with functionality increasing rapidly in the higher molecular weight fractions. Non-functional cyclic and other low molecular weight components were effectively extracted from glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) using supercritical carbon dioxide as evidenced by HPLC analysis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA234285
Entities
People
- James J Watkins
- Val J. Krukonis