R. Meyer J. Köhler A. Homburg Explosives

151 Glycidyl Azide Polymer
lead block test: 420 cm3 /10 g
deflagration point: 200–205 °C = 392– 400°F
impact sensitivity: 0.4 kp m = 4 N m
Glycerol trinitrophenyl ether dinitrate is insoluble in water, but is readily
soluble in acetone; it does not gelatinize nitrocellulose.
It is prepared by nitration of phenyl glycerol ether with a nitric acidsulfuric
acid mixture.
Glycidyl Azide Polymer
Glycidylazidpolymer; GAP
light-yellowish, viscous liquid
empirical formula of structural unit: C3H5N3O
molecular weight of structural unit: 99.1
mean molecular weight: 2000
energy of formation: +1535.2 kJ/kg = +366.9 kcal/kg
enthalpy of formation: +1422.9 kJ/kg = +340.1 kcal/kg
oxygen value: –121.1%
nitrogen content: 42.40%
specific energy: 82.4 mt/kg = 808 kJ/kg
explosion heat (H2O liq.): 3429 kJ/kg = 820 kcal/kg
normal volume of gases: 946 l/kg
viscosity: 4280 cP
density: 1.29 g/cm3 deflagration temperature: 216 °C
impact sensitivity: 7.9 Nm = 0.8 kpm
sensitivity to friction: at 360 N = 37 kp pin load, no reaction
Glycidyl azide polymer is produced in a two-step process. First, epichlorohydrin
in the presence of bortriflouride is polymerized into polyepichlorohydrin.
Using dimethylformamide as a solvent, the polymer is
then processed with sodium azide at high temperature. Nearly all the
inorganic components as well as the solvent are removed, leaving the
raw final product free of low molecular weight compounds.
Glycidyl azide polymer was originally developed in the USA as an
W Energetic Binder for W Composite Propellants. Because this gasproducing
component releases at the composition large amounts of
nitrogen and thermal energy. It has been used in recent years as an
energetic binder compound in W LOVA gun propellant and in gas
generating propellants; potential for fast burning rocket propellants.