Aging Characteristics of PBXN-106E as a Function of Various Stabilizers and the Mixed Energetic Nitroplasticizer BDNPA and BDNPF

Abstract : This report describes an aging study of (1) the PBXN-106E composition formulated with various stabilizers and the unstabilized and reworked Aerojet (AJ) mixed nitroplasticizer bis(2,2-dinitropropyl) formal (BDNPF) and bis (2,2- dinitropropyl) acetal (BDNPA) and (2) the unstabilized and reworked Aerojet nitroplasticizer with various stabilizers. These studies were undertaken to (1) evaluate the usefulness of various stabilizers in the PBXN-106E formulations, (2) assess the effectiveness of the Aerojet clean-up procedures on the reworked acetal/formal (A/F) manufactured by batch process at their Plant 1, and (3) determine the most effective stabilizer for the PBXN-106E formulation and the energetic nitroplasticizer A/F. The PBXN-106E mixes were characterized via morphological and mechanical properties as well as off-gas, shore A, % extract, vacuum thermal stability, impact, and chemical analysis. The A/F samples were characterized via acid number.