| Abstract: | A range of chemically modified energetic polymers has been synthesized. The structural modification involves the incorporation of a double bond into the polymeric binder which allows subsequent degradation of the material by ozonolysis thus providing an environmentally safe method for the disposal of munitions. This was achieved by reacting the energetic prepolymer, poly‐NIMMO, with a range of unsaturated diisocyanates where the double bond was incorporated into the cross‐linking i.e. “curing” agent. Firstly, poly‐NIMMO and cis‐1,4‐but‐2‐ene diol were reacted with hexamethylene diisocyanate. Secondly, three unsaturated diisocyanates (two novel) were prepared in situ from their corresponding diacyl azides and reacted with poly‐NIMMO. The three diisocyanates prepared were 1,4‐diphenoxy‐trans‐2‐butene‐diisocyanate, phenylene diacrylic di‐isocyanate, and trans‐2‐butene‐1,4‐diisocyanate. The latter has been reported previously(1,2) although never isolated and characterized; however, this has been achieved successfully in this study. GPC of the chain extended polymers prepared by both methods showed the expected increase in molecular weight distribution. A corresponding decrease following ozonolysis occurred particularly with the polymers prepared from 1,4‐diphenoxy‐trans‐2‐butene‐diisocyanate and phenylene diacrylic diisocyanate. |
