EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT ON A NEW NITROGUANIDINE RECRYSTALLIZATION PROCESS USING HABIT MODIFIERS

THE CURRENT MANUFACTURING PROCESS PRODUCES 100 MICRON NEEDLESHAPED PARTICLES OF NITROGUANIDINE WHICH ARE NOT SATISFACTORY FOR HIGH SOLIDS CONTENT FORMULATIONS; 500 MICRON SIZED SPHERICAL PARTICLES ARE DESIRED. EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW PROCESS USING SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH HABIT MODIFIERS IS DESCRIBED. THE CONCEPT IS BASED UPON THE ABILITY OF A SUPERCRITICAL FLUID TO DISSOLVE IN A NITROGUANIDINE SOLUTION CAUSING RECRYSTALLIZATION OF PARTICLES. THE PROCESS HAS BEEN SHOWN IN A PREVIOUS PROGRAM (F08635-87-C-0346) TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PRODUCING A WIDE VARIETY OF SHAPES AND SIZES; HOWEVER, THE COMBINATION OF PARAMETERS THAT COULD PRODUCE 500 MICRON SPHERES WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAM ARE: 1. DETERMINE THE RANGE OF PROCESS PARAMETERS THAT WILL RESULT IN THE FORMATION OF 500 MICRON SPHERES OF NITROGUANIDINE USING HABIT MODIFIERS, 2. DELIVER 1 KG OF THE IMPROVED NITROGUANIDINE CRYSTALS FOR EVALUATION, 3. PREPARE A FLOW CHART AND CARRY OUT AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF THE PROCESS.