Polyurethane curing kinetics for polymer bonded explosives: HTPB/IPDI binder

The kinetics of polyurethane reaction and the effect of catalysts on the curing behavior were studied. The mixtures of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene and isophorone diisocyanate with different reaction catalysts were dynamically cured in a differential scanning calorimeter. The activation energies were evaluated by the Kissinger and the Ozawa methods. The Chang plot was also used to determine reaction order and rate constant. The results showed that the activation energies were influenced remarkably by the choice of catalysts. The degree of cure and the cure time at given temperatures were calculated by direct integration of modified auto-catalytic kinetic model. It would give valuable information like pot-life estimation during manufacturing polymer-bonded explosives.