Synthesis, Characterization, and Potential Application of Phosphoramide Derivatives as Nitrocellulose Stabilizers

ABSTRACT A series of phosphoramide derivatives were synthesized using POCl 3 and aniline as raw materials. The phosphoramide derivatives can inhibit the self‐catalytic decomposition of nitrocellulose (NC), thereby extending the service life of nitrate‐based propellants. The structure of synthesized phosphoramide derivatives was characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance and high‐resolution mass spectrometry. Their compatibility with NC and their stabilizing effect on NC were investigated using differential thermal analysis (DTA), methyl violet test paper test, isothermal WST and VST. The results showed that the synthesized phosphoramide derivatives were compatible with NC, and the overall stabilizing effect on NC was better than that of the traditional stabilizers diphenylamine (DPA) and N,N' ‐dimethyl‐ N , N '‐diphenylurea (C2). In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) were used to investigate the stabilizing mechanism of phosphoramide derivatives on NC. The results showed that the phosphoramide derivatives could absorb the nitrogen oxides (NO X ) generated during the decomposition of NC, thus inhibiting the autocatalytic degradation of NC, and thus realizing their stabilizing effect on NC.