Extraction of high-energy components from products of recovery of solid propellant using dimethyl sulfoxide

M.M. Cheltonov, Pavlograd Chemical Plant, S.A. Oparin, A.S. Matrosov, A.L. Kirichenko, Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, Pavlograd Chemical Plant
2020 Voprosy himii i himičeskoj tehnologii  
The recycling of solid propellant from loaded rocket motor cases of intercontinental ballistic missiles SS-24 results in the formation of polymer crumb that is used as an energetic additive to emulsion explosives. The polymer crumb contains a binder, an oxidizer (ammonium pe rchlorate), energe tic additive s (nitramine, in particu lar cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine, and aluminium) and some additives. One of the most efficient techniques for utilization of polymer crumb consists in extraction
more » ... of valuable high-energy components such as ammonium perchlorate and nitramine. To extract nitramine from solid propellant crumb, from which ammonium perchlorate has been previously removed, an organic solvent, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), can be used. Nitramine is to be extracted from the obtained solid propellant polymer crumb by using DMSO. Then the extract is separated from the refined polymer crumb and nitramine is precipitated by the addition of water (a diluent that does not dissolve nitramine) to the extract solution. The purpose of this work was to establish the characteristics of the extraction process and determine the parameters of the extraction of nitramine from the products of solid propellant recycling (polymer crumb) with the use of DMSO. The effects of temperature, mechanical agitator rotation frequency and process duration on the degree of the extraction of nitramine from solid propellant polymer crumb by dimethyl sulfoxide were determined. The kinetic constants and the kinetic equation that describes the extraction of nitramine from solid propellant polymer crumb using DMSO were obtained. Ammonium perchlorate is present as a by-product in the spent DMSO aqueous solution. Ammonium perchlorate is a strong oxidizing agent and its presence is undesirable in the process of heating and regeneration of DMSO. Ammonium perchlorate can be removed from the spent DMSO aqueous solution by converting it into poorly soluble salt (KClO 4 ), which can be used as an oxidizing agent and in industrial explosives.
doi:10.32434/0321-4095-2020-129-2-141-147 fatcat:7s2dkko3ejg45hrh6xdl2r3xmm