Process Development for a New Oxidizer for Navy Missile Propellants

This process development for nitrogen pentoxide is directed toward improvements in ammonium dinitramide (ADN) production. ADN is " a new candidate propellant oxidizer... for low signature propellants." Thus improvements in a production process for acid-free nitrogen pentoxide, required in the current best process for ADN production, would be especially beneficial for ultimate practical production of this new oxidizer. The most important objective of the Phase I program is to demonstrate improved practicality in the preparation of acid-free nitrogen pentoxide or useful solution of it in an appropriate inert solvent. This will be achieved through a feasibility study of innovative process improvements using several different separation technologies applied to the nitrogen pentoxide-nitric acid system. Innovative separation experiments will employ technologies based on extraction, membrane diffusion, and phase separation methods.