Structure and mechanical properties of fluorine‐containing glycidyl azide polymer‐based energetic binders

Abstract

Abstract A novel energetic polymer, fluorine‐containing glycidyl azide polymer ( FGAP ), was developed via an initial cationic copolymerization of epichlorohydrin and 1,1,1‐trifluoro‐2,3‐epoxypropane, followed by azidation. The structure of FGAP was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared, 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR spectroscopies. The molecular weight and the thermal behavior of FGAP were characterized using gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. FGAP had a molecular weight of 2845 g mol −1 , and the glass transition temperature and decomposition temperature were found to be −47.8 and 253 °C, respectively. FGAP ‐based polyurethane networks were further prepared using triphenylmethane‐4,4,4‐triisocyanate as the crosslinking agent. In comparison with GAP , FGAP ‐based polyurethane networks exhibited better mechanical behaviors (a tensile strength of 1.5 MPa and an elongation at break of 81.6%). The results demonstrated that FGAP might be a promising polymeric binder for future propellant formulations. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry