Characterization of Segmented Block Copolyurethane Network Based on Glycidyl Azide Polymer and Polycaprolactone

To improve the poor mechanical and low-temperature properties of glycidyl azide polymer (GAP)-based propellants, the addition of binders was investigated using GAP and flexible polymer backbone-structural polycaprolactone (PCP) at various weight(wt) ratios, and varying the ratio of Desmodur N-100 pluriisocyanate (N-100) to isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI). Using Gee's theory, the solubility parameter of the PCP network was determined, in order to elucidate the physical and chemical interaction between GAP and PCP. The structure of the binder networks was characterized by measuring the cross-link densities and molecular weights between cross-links ($M_c$) obtained by a swelling experiment using Flory-Rhener theory. The thermal and mechanical properties of the segmented block copolyurethane (GAP-b-PCP) binders prepared by the incorporation of PCP into the binder recipes were investigated, along with the effect of the different curatives ratios.