Property and Preparation of Diethylene Glycol Dinitrate

Diethylene glycol dinitrate has two crystalline forms, stable form melted at 2 °C and unstable form with melting point of -10.9 °C. It is an oily liquid at 20 °C with density of 1.385 g/cm, boiling point of 160 °C, decomposition temperature of 160 °C, and refractive index of 1.4517 (20 °C). Its vapor pressure is 0.0036 mmHg at 20 °C and 0.130 mmHg at 60 °C. Its volatility at 60 °C is 0.19 mg/cm h. 

Diethylene glycol dinitrate can be mutually soluble with nitro aromatics to form eutectic mixture, as shown in Table 5.16. 

Diethylene glycol dinitrate is soluble in some organic solvents. It is hardly soluble in ethanol, carbon tetrachloride, and carbon disulfide. Its solubility in 100 g water is as small as 0.40 g at 25 °C and 0.46 g at 60 °C. 

The viscosity of diethylene glycol dinitrate, about 8.1 centipoises at 20 °C, is lower than glycerine. Its dissolving capacity to collodion is strong and it is an excellent energetic solvent and resource for double-base propellants. 

10 The denitration rate of several nitrate esters in a mixed acid 

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