Effect of particle size on thermal decomposition of nitrocellulose

Data on the thermal stability of energetic materials such as nitrocellulose were required in order to obtain safety information for handling, storage and usage. In present study, the thermal stability of micron and nano-sized nitrocellulose samples was determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and simultaneous thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) techniques. The results of TG analysis revealed that the main thermal degradation of nitrocellulose occurs in the temperature range of 190-210 °C. On the other hand, the TG-DTA analysis of samples indicated that particle size of nitrocellulose could affect on its thermal stability and its decomposition temperature decreases by decreasing its particle size. The influence of the heating rate (5, 10, 15 and 20 °C/min) on the DSC behaviour of the nitrocellulose with two particle sizes was verified. The results showed that, as the heating rate was increased, decomposition temperature of the micron and nano-sized compound was increased. Also, the kinetic parameters such as activation energy and frequency factor for the micron and nano-sized nitrocellulose were obtained from the DSC data by non-isothermal methods proposed by ASTM E696 and Ozawa.