Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Triazole Cross-Linked Glycidyl Azide (GAP) and Azido Polycarbonate Networks

Triazole cross-linked energetic polymer networks obtained from the reaction of dialkyne curing agents with glycidyl azide polymers (GAP) or poly(2,2-[bisazidomethyl]propane-1,3-diyl carbonate) (poly[BAMPC]) were studied, and their thermal and mechanical properties are reported. The dialkynes studied include bis(propargyl)ether (BPE), bis(propargyl)malonate (BPM), and 4,4'-diacyanohepta-1,6-diyne (DCHD), three compounds previously described as curing agents for glycidyl azide pre-polymers. The cured polymer networks display a wide range of properties dependent on the nature of the azido pre-polymer, the nature of the dialkyne, the alkyne/azide molar ratio, and the molecular weight of the pre-polymer used. Results confirm that the three dialkynes are effective curing agents able to form rigid networks out of either pre-polymer and that the lighter molecular weight BPE and DCHD both improve mechanical properties of cured networks with less dilution of the system's energetic content. Triazole cross-linked poly(BAMPC) networks were studied for the first time, and promising physical and mechanical properties are reported.