• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2019

This paper describes the formulation and properties of a recently developed energetic thermoplastic (ETPE) propellant, which is composed of 45% of newly synthesized glycidyl azide polymer, energetic plasticizer (DEGDN) and nitramine oxidizer (RDX). Compared to conventional thermoplastic propellants, the new ETPE propellant showed approximately 7% higher performance and exhibited similar mechanical properties but a lower burn rate and a higher pressure exponent.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.284-290
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• 2020

Energetic thermoplastic elastomers (ETPEs) based on glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) and carboxylated GA copolymers [GAP-ETPE and poly(GA-carboxylate)-ETPEs] were synthesized using isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL), 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD), and soft segment oligomers such as GAP and poly(GA-carboxylate). The synthesized GAP-ETPE and poly(GA-carboxylate)-ETPEs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), universal testing machine (UTM), calorimetry and sensitivity towards friction and impact. DSC and TGA results showed that the introduction of carboxylate group in GAP helped to have better thermal properties. Glass transition temperatures of poly(GA-carboxylate)-ETPEs decreased from -31 ℃ to -33 ℃ compared to that of GAP-ETPE (-29 ℃). The first thermal decomposition temperature in poly(GA_0.8-octanoate_0.2)-ETPE (242 ℃) increased in comparison to that of GAP-ETPE (227 ℃). Furthermore, from calorimetry data, poly(GA-carboxylate)-ETPEs exhibited negative formation enthalpies (-6.94 and -7.21 kJ/g) and higher heats of combustion (46713 and 46587 kJ/mol) compared to that of GAP-ETPE (42,262 kJ/mol). Overall, poly(GA-carboxylate)-ETPEs could be good candidates for a polymeric binder in solid propellant due to better energetic, mechanical and thermal properties in comparison to those of GAP-ETPE. Such properties are beneficial to application and processing of ETPE.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 2019

In this study, synthetic methods and physical properties for a new class of glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) were investigated for energetic thermoplastic elastomers (ETPE). Four kinds of GAP copolymer polyols were synthesized by introducing nucleophiles such as azide, alkoxide and alkyl amine into poly(epichlorohydrin) (PECH). The GAP copolymer synthetic reaction can be evaluated as an environmental benign and efficient synthetic method due to the simultaneous one-step reaction using two kinds of nucleophiles and the complete consumption of sodium azide. The relative stoichiometric substitution ratio analysis and the progress of reaction were checked and monitored by inverse gated decoupled $^{13}C$ NMR and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The glass transition temperature and molecular weight were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis. The synthesized poly($GA_{0.8}-butoxide_{0.2}$), poly($GA_{0.7}-n-butylamine_{0.3}$), poly($GA_{0.7}-dipropylamine_{0.3}$) and poly($GA_{0.7}-morpholine_{0.3}$) had a glass transition temperature ranged from -39 to $-26^{\circ}C$.