Nitroxyethyl Nitramine Plasticizers

Nitroxyethyl Nitramine Plasticizers Nitroxy ethyl nitramine (NENA) plasticizers are a new family of energetic plasticizers which have emerged recently. These are effective plasticizers in energetic formulations, particularly in nitrocellulosic systems. NENAs contain both nitrate ester and nitramine functionalities and possess the general structure RN (N02).CH2.CH2.0N02 where R is methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl and pentyl. 

NENAs were originally discovered in the 1940s at the University of Toronto [178] but keen interest for their use has only recently resurfaced which is due to the following key features  

In a nutshell, NENAs provide higher impetus at any given flame temperature than many conventional energetic ingredients and it is regarded as their most outstanding feature [165]. A general method for the manufacture of Alkyl NENAs [Structure (4.25)] is by the nitration of commercially available alkyl ethanolamine (Equation 4.20)  

One notable member of NENAs family known as dinitroxy ethyl nitramine (DINA) was scaled-up and used [179-181] in a Naval flashless gun propellant (Albanite) way back in 1942. 

NENAs possess good thermal stability, readily plasticize NC and other binders, generate low molecular weight combustion products and impart favorable impact sensitivity. Butyl NENA has edge over others because it imparts better low temperature properties as well [182]. The use of NENAs as plasticizers in gun and rocket propellant formulations imparts excellent properties such as high bum rates, reduction in flame temperature and molecular mass of combustion products and high force constant or specific impulse [183]. 

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