Selective synthesis of energetic acrylates using microreaction technology

Abstract. The additive manufacturing of eneregtic plasticizers is gaining more interest and importance in composite materials for rocket propellants. Especially acrylate based compounds are highly interesting due to their property of controlled UV-polymerization, which provides highly precise manufacturing of complex geometries with clean surface texture. Those characteristics can positively affect performance and burning rates of propellants. The use of acrylate-based plasticizers also allows the alignment of mechanical properties by using acrylates based monomers with selected functional groups. To obtain energetic acrylates having aspired functional groups the synthesis are carried out in a reaction system using microreactors. The target products are 2-Nitratoethylacrylate, also known as 2-NEA, and propyl-2-nitrate-1,3-di(propyl-2-nitrate)diacrylate. The microreaction technology enables the controlled synthesis and parameter studies of products difficult to obtain such as acrylates with their high tendencies to polymerize under the crude conditions of the synthesis.