Thermal Decomposition of Energetic Materials 26. Simultaneous Temperature Measurements of the Condensed Phase and Rapid-Scan FT-IR Spectroscopy of the Gas Phase at High Heating Rates

Abstract

Rapid-scan infrared spectroscopy (RSFT-IR) with better than 100-ms temporal resolution has been used to quantify the gas decomposition products of energetic materials in real time at various heating rates up to 800°C/s and under buffer gas pressures of 1 to 1000 psi. A new method is described that permits simultaneous real-time recording of the temperature of the condensed phase and of the IR spectra of the gaseous products under the above conditions. Endothermic and exothermic events in the condensed phase can now be correlated with the evolved gases under conditions approaching those of combustion. The design and procedure for using the cell are given and are applied to the thermolysis of 1,7-diazido-2,4,6-trinitro-2,4,6-triazaheptane (DATH) and pentaery-thrityltetrammonium nitrate (PTTN).