Physical characterization of Bis(2,2-dinitropropyl) acetal and Bis(2,2-dinitropropyl) formal

Bis(2,2-dinitropropyl) acetal (BDNPA) and bis(2,2-dinitropropyl) formal (BDNPF) are two commonly used energetic plasticizers in explosive and propellant composites. However, some of their physical properties are rather scattered and inconsistent in the open literature. For example, there are at least two widely different values, 14.5ºC and −15ºC, for the melting point of eutectic BDNPA/F with 1:1 mass ratio (called NP here). The eutectic phase diagram of BDNPA/F mixtures are not well documented. Furthermore, the effect of temperature on the miscibility between water and eutectic BDNPA/F eutectic is rarely reported. To fill these knowledge gaps, a large set of BDNPA/F mixtures with BDNPA concentration ranging from 0 to 100% was analyzed using DSC techniques. In addition to confirming the eutectic melt point as −25.9ºC, a phase diagram of the BDNPA/F system was constructed from −30ºC to 45ºC. To study the miscibility between NP and water, a large set of NP/water samples with water concentration ranging from 500 ppm to 5800 ppm was fully characterized using coulometric Karl Fischer titration, TGA, DSC, and Near-IR Spectroscopy. As a result, a phase diagram of the NP and rich NP-water system was constructed from −90ºC to 130ºC. To further support these efforts, the effects of temperature on the NP viscosity, specific heat capacity, and thermal conductivity are reported here as well.