A novel cellulose-based Azide energetic material: 1-Azido-2-hydroxypropyl cellulose ether

1-azido-2-hydroxypropyl cellulose ether, a novel potential energetic material, was prepared by reacting cellulose with glycidyl azide, which is synthesized from epihalohydrin via ring-opening and ring-closing reactions in the presence of diazoimide, under an alkaline condition, wherein a degree of substitution of the azido side chains as high as 0.5 and a nitrogen content of 10% (mass percentage) were achieved in the 1-azido-2-hydroxypropyl cellulose ether thus obtained. The structure and degree of substitution of the product were identified by characterizations such as elemental analysis, infrared absorption spectrum (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).