Thermodynamic, Transport, and Viscoelastic Properties of PBX-9501 Binder: A Molecular Dynamics Simulations Study

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were performed on a low-molecular-weight nitroplasticized Estane® mixture representative of the binder used in PBX-9501. Pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) behavior over a wide range of pressures and temperatures above the order-disorder temperature (ODT) of Estane was determined and represented with the empirical Tait and Sun equations of state. The effect of temperature, pressure, and plasticization on transport properties of the mixture was also examined. A combination of molecular dynamics simulations and theoretical reptation models was used to predict the shear stress relaxation modulus G(t) of PBX-9501 binder at 473 K and 1 atm pressure. Data obtained from simulations of the model PBX-9501 binder presented here can be utilized to predict the temperature and pressure dependence of the shear stress relaxation modulus for temperatures above the ODT.