Effects of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles on the thermal behavior and non-isothermal decomposition kinetics of nitrocellulose

The effects Fe2O3 nanoparticles on the thermal decomposition of nitrocellulose (NC) have been investigated by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) method and the thermogravimetry with Fourier transform infrared analysis (TG-IR). DSC analysis shows that Fe2O3 can be safely used with NC, and the thermal decomposition reactions of Fe2O3-NC composite and NC follow the same thermal decomposition mechanism of Avrami-Erofeev equation f(alpha) = 1.5(1-alpha)[-ln(1-alpha)](1/3) in differential form. The as-prepared nanoparticles could reduce the activation energy of the decomposition reaction and the critical temperature of thermal explosion of NC. In addition, TG-IR analysis indicated that Fe2O3 nanoparticles play a crucial role in promoting the O-NO2 bond cleavage and secondary autocatalytic reactions in condensed phase. This contribution suggests that introducing Fe2O3 nanostructure may be a promising way to accelerate the thermal decomposition of NC. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.