Synthesis, Characterization, and Energetic Properties of Nitrate Ester Acrylate Polymer

Valerie A Kuehl; Andrew M Schmalzer; Christopher J Snyder; David E Chavez

doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c02725

Synthesis, Characterization, and Energetic Properties of Nitrate Ester Acrylate Polymer

ACS Omega. 2023 Oct 13;8(42):38879-38884. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c02725. eCollection 2023 Oct 24.

Authors

Valerie A Kuehl¹, Andrew M Schmalzer¹, Christopher J Snyder¹, David E Chavez¹

Affiliation

¹ Q-5, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States.

Abstract

An energetic nitrate ester acrylate monomer (4) was synthesized in a total yield of 68% and polymerized to form the energetic nitrate ester acrylate polymer (NEAP). Compound 4 is a liquid at room temperature with a melting point of -8.6 °C and NEAP is a solid with a glass-transition temperature of -8.8 °C. Intermediates leading to 4 and NEAP were characterized by high-resolution mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies (¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR). Both 4 and NEAP have electrostatic discharge, friction, and impact sensitivities comparable to those of trinitrotoluene, making NEAP a potential candidate for advanced energetic formulations.