ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS OF MUNITIONS-GRADE NITROCELLULOSE

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Abstract
Cellulose nitrate compounds constitute an important industrial feedstock, with applications ranging from fingernail polish to photographic films to explosives. Indeed, the latter use has strategic implications associated with the production of military munitions. However, the particularly high level of cellulose nitration required for these explosive materials creates a significant environmental problem with respect to the necessary degradation of waste ‘fines’ inevitably discharged from their manufacturing operations. Rather ironically, these waste solids have proven to be remarkably stable, leading to a traditional reliance upon a primitive treatment approach (i.e., open-field incineration) which is neither safe nor environmentally acceptable. This paper, therefore, describes an alternative chemical degradation procedure based on alkaline hydrolysis. Primarily using sodium hydroxide at low percent dosage levels, this research effort has successfully achieved significant levels of denitration and apparent breakdown of the backbone cellulose structure. Furthermore, as compared with prior research on thi s topic, these results were achieved at markedly lower contact times and temperatures. However, two uncertainties still remain regarding this process, involving both the fate of a significant fraction of the original nitrogen and the apparently lingering recalcitrant nature of the post-degradation organics. In both cases, ongoing investigations have been instituted to resolve these issues.

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