Pyrolysis mechanism and characteristics of a novel promising energy rich polysaccharide based on chitin

Chitin, a widely available biopolymer, remains underexplored in energetic materials. To address this gap, this study focuses on the synthesis and pyrolysis mechanism of a novel energetic polysaccharide derived from nitration of chitin. Nitrochitin (NCT) and its precursor were extensively characterized using various analytical techniques, confirming the successful functionalization of chitin via electrophilic nitration. The structural and physicochemical properties of NCT were examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis, and an electronic densimeter. Experimental findings demonstrated that the synthesized NCT exhibits promising physicochemical characteristics. Additionally, the thermal behavior of nitrated chitin was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results revealed that NCT undergoes two consecutive exothermic decomposition processes within the temperature ranges of 135–185 °C and 192–244 °C. Furthermore, the thermal decomposition mechanism was elucidated using hyphenated TGA-FTIR analysis. The evolved gases indicated a complex mixture primarily composed of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO₂), water vapor (H₂O), methane (CH₄), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), formaldehyde (CH₂O), acetamide (CH₃CONH₂), and acetic acid (CH₃COOH). These findings highlight the potential of the newly synthesized NCT as a promising component for use in explosives and solid rocket propellants.