Effect of nitrate content on thermal decomposition of nitrocellulose

Data on the thermal stability of energetic materials such as nitrocellulose was required in order to obtain safety information for handling, storage and use. In the present study, the thermal stability of four nitrocellulose samples containing various amount of nitrate groups was determined by differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) and simultaneous thermogravimetery-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) techniques. The results of TG analysis revealed that the main thermal degradation for the nitrocellulose occurs in the temperature ranges of 192-209 °C. On the other hand, the TG-DTA analysis of compounds indicates that nitrate content of nitrocellulose could has affect on its thermal stability and its decomposition temperature decrease by increasing its nitrogen percent. The influence of the heating rate (5, 10, 15 and 20 °C/min) on the DSC behaviour of the nitrocellulose was verified. The results showed that, as the heating rate was increased, decomposition temperature of the compound was increased. Also, the kinetic parameters such as activation energy and frequency factor for the compound was obtained from the DSC data by non-isothermal methods proposed by ASTM E696 and Ozawa.