The preparation of NC microspheres and BuNENA modified NC microspheres by the breath figures method

The 'breath figures' method was used to prepare nitrocellulose (NC) microspheres and N-butyl-N-(2-nitroxyethyl)nitramine (BuNENA) modified NC microspheres (BMNM). By using acetone as the solvent and non-solvent n-hexane as the atmosphere, NC microspheres and BMNM were obtained. The matching of solvents and non-solvents was the key factor influencing the final morphology. TG and DSC were employed to study the thermal decomposition characteristics of BMNM. The results suggested that there were two distinct stages of thermal mass loss from the BMNM: the first was the mass loss associated with partial volatilisation of BuNENA, and its activation energy was 68.54 kJ/mol. The second mass loss was the thermal decomposition of NC and residual BuNENA with a high activation energy (249.53 kJ/mol, calculated by the Kissinger method). According to the thermal decomposition kinetics model, the optimal kinetics model of BMNM was B1-A2. The addition of BuNENA did not influence the thermal decomposition of NC.