Kinetics of the Alkaline Hydrolysis of Nitrocellulose

• Published in: Water environment research Vol. 73; no. 2; pp. 185 - 191
• Main Authors: Christodoulatos, Christos, Su, Tsan-Liang, Koutsospyros, Agamemnon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA Water Environment Federation 01.03.2001; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: ACTIVATION ENERGY; Aerosol Propellants - chemistry; ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; Applied sciences; Cellulose; Cellulose nitrate; Collodion - chemistry; ENERGETIC MATERIALS; Exact sciences and technology; Explosives; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydrolysis; Hydroxides; Industrial wastewaters; KINETICS; Mathematical constants; Microorganisms; Nitrates; Nitrites; NITROCELLULOSE; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - metabolism; Pollution; PROPELLANTS; Regression Analysis; Research Papers; Resource Conservation & Recovery Act-US; Tissue Adhesives - chemistry; TREATMENT; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; United States > US; Hydrolysis; Chemical industry; Industrial waste water; Cellulose nitrate; Basic medium; Physicochemical purification; Explosives; Kinetics; Waste water purification; Activation energy
• ISSN: 1061-4303; 1554-7531
• DOI: 10.2175/106143001X138840

Cellulose nitrate (nitrocellulose) is an explosive solid substance used in large quantities in various formulations of rocket and gun propellants. Safe destruction of nitrocellulose can be achieved by alkaline hydrolysis, which converts it to biodegradable products that can then be treated by conventional biological processes. The kinetics of the alkaline hydrolysis of munitions-grade nitrocellulose in sodium hydroxide solutions were investigated in completely mixed batch reactors. Experiments were conducted using solutions of alkaline strength ranging from 0.1 to 15% by mass and temperatures in the range of 30 to 90 °C. Regression analysis of the kinetic data revealed that alkaline hydrolysis of nitrocellulose is of the order 1.0 and 1.5 with respect to nitrocellulose and hydroxide concentration, respectively. The activation energy of the hydrolysis reaction was found to be 100.9 kJ/mol with a preexponential Arrhenius constant of$4.73\times 10^{13}$. Nitrite and nitrate, in a 3:1 ratio, were the primary nitrogen species present in the posthydrolysis solution. The kinetic information is pertinent to the development and optimization of nitrocellulose chemical-biological treatment systems.