Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Polyether Polytriazole Elastomers Formed by Click-Chemical Reaction Curing Glycidyl Azide Polymer

Abstract

Energetic binders are a research hot-spot, and much emphasis has been placed on their mechanical properties. In this study, propargyl-terminated ethylene oxide-tetrahydrofuran copolymer (PTPET) was synthesized. Then, PTPET and low-molecular-weight ester-terminated glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) were reacted by the click reaction without using catalysts to obtain a polyether polytriazole elastomer. Through tensile tests, where R = 0.5, the tensile strength reached 0.332 MPa, with an elongation at break of 897.1%. Swelling tests were used to measure the cross-linked network and showed that the cross-linked network regularity was reduced as R increased. The same conclusions were confirmed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). In DMA curves, Tg was around −70 to −65 °C, and a small amount of crystallization appeared at between −50 and −30 °C, because locally ordered structures were also present in random copolymers, thereby forming localized crystals. Their thermal performance was tested by Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and Thermal Gravimetric Analyzer (TG), and the main mass loss occurred at around 350 to 450 °C, which meant that they were stable. In conclusion, the polyether polytriazole elastomer can be used as a binder in a composite propellant.