ENERGETIC PHOSPHAZENE POLYMERS

Ongoing DoD requirements for improved ordnance systems require novel chemical structures that can provide unique properties. A class of compounds that potentially offers unusual chemical and physical properties is the cyclic and linear polyphosphazenes. This class has received little attention, compared to conventional organic structures, toward determining its scope of reactions. Such an extension of usable chemical structures in explosives and propellant systems would especially allow performance improvements in advanced binders. The most important objective of the Phase I program is to demonstrate the feasibility of preparing tailorable phosphazene polymers containing energetic substituents. Prior methodology toward this goal has been very limited in scope but will be extended and developed here. An innovative anionic polymerization of phosphoranimines to prepare new linear polyphosphazenes incorporating energetic substituents. Phosphazene structured with energetic alkoxy groups would be of particular interest. Isolation of several model compounds with high energy content and their thermal stability characterization will demonstrate the feasibiltiy of such incorporation.