Synthesis, Characterization, and Thermal Decomposition Kinetics of Nitrogen-Rich Energetic Biopolymers from Aminated Giant Reed Cellulosic Fibers

This research focuses on the exploration of giant reed (Arundo donax L., AD) as a viable and underutilized sustainable resource for the development of energetic nitrogen-rich dense biopolymers based on surface amino functionalization and nitration of extracted native cellulose and cellulose microcrystals (ANCN and ACMCN). Their physicochemical features, molecular structure, crystallinity, and thermal behavior were examined and compared to those of native cellulose and cellulose microcrystals nitrates (NCN and CMCN) produced from the same bioresource. The obtained results demonstrated that these newly manufactured nitrogen-rich cellulosic materials present excellent energetic performance and reduced mechanical sensitivities with respect to those of the traditional NCN and emergent CMCN. Furthermore, the nonisothermal decomposition kinetics studied using isoconversional integral approaches revealed that the developed ANCN and ACMCN displayed good thermal stability with an autocatalytic decomposition mechanism and slightly lower Arrhenius parameters than the common NCN. Therefore, this study provides an efficient process to develop new promising insensitive and nitrogen-rich energetic macromolecules from valuable alternative AD feedstock for potential applications in solid propellant formulations.