ANALYTICAL HYPOTHESIS TO SUBSTANTIATE THE FUNDAMENTAL POSSIBILITY OF REGENERATION OF NITROCELLULOSE POWDERS AFTER LONG-TERM STORAGE WITH HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

Abstract

The experience of storing ammunition shows that during long-term storage, pyroxylin powders used in ammunition are capable of arbitrarily undergoing various physical and chemical transformations, which negatively affects the ballistic characteristics of ammunition. The lack of ammunition production in Ukraine has led to the fact that ammunition is currently in operation, the storage time of which reaches 30–35 years or more. This article analyzes publications devoted to scientific research related to the problems of ballistic stability of gunpowders. A number of factors affecting the physicochemical stability of powder charges during their long-term operation are given. Summarizing data on the change in the main ballistic characteristics of ammunition at different periods of their storage are given. The analysis of chemical processes occurring in nitrocellulose gunpowder during long periods of operation is carried out, and the possibility of carrying out the regeneration of NCP by treatment with hydrogen peroxide is substantiated. It is assumed that one of the ways to improve the ballistic and energy characteristics of long-term ammunition can be the regeneration of nitrocellulose powder charges. It is shown that at present there are no methods for the regeneration of powder charges with long service life. However, there are encouraging data on the treatment of powders with hydrogen peroxide, on the basis of which a technology for the complete or partial restoration of the ballistic and energy characteristics of a powder charge can be developed. It is shown that during the regeneration of nitrocellulose powder charges with hydrogen peroxide, the calorific value of the starting material increases. It is important to note that not all of the increase in mass after NCP treatment with hydrogen peroxide can be used to compensate for the lost calorific value, however, in this case, the treatment of NCP with hydrogen peroxide should be considered an effective method for regenerating nitrocellulose powders.