Nitroglycerin trapping in melamine matrices

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Energetic Materials

Background:

• Nitroglycerin (NG) is a liquid explosive requiring stabilization for safe handling and storage.
• Melamine (Mel) offers a potential crystalline matrix for immobilizing energetic materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize solid powdered compounds of melamine and nitroglycerin (Mel/NG).
• To investigate the effect of preparation methods on the morphology and stability of Mel/NG compounds.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of Mel/NG compounds by evaporating solutions of melamine and nitroglycerin.
• Utilizing ambient condition evaporation and Spray Flash-Evaporation (SFE) under reduced pressure.
• Analysis of material morphology and stability over time.

Main Results:

• Mel/NG solid powdered compounds were successfully prepared with up to 45 wt% NG.
• The SFE process resulted in smaller amorphous nitroglycerin inclusions within the crystalline melamine matrix.
• A gradual loss of nitroglycerin via evaporation was observed in the Mel/NG materials over time, indicating limited long-term stability.

Conclusions:

• Melamine can serve as a host matrix for nitroglycerin, forming solid powdered compounds.
• The SFE method offers advantages in controlling the morphology of nitroglycerin inclusions.
• The long-term stability of Mel/NG compounds is limited by nitroglycerin evaporation, necessitating further research for enhanced stabilization.