Z. Abdel-Qader, Q. S. M. Kwok, R. C. Fouchard, P. D. Lightfoot and D. E. G. Jones
ABSTRACT: The present work includes the thermal characterization of a smoke composition, the smoke components, as well as a potassium chlorate–lactose mixture using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG), simultaneous thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry- mass spectrometry (TG-DTA-FTIR-MS), and accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC). The DSC results for the smoke composition show a sharp exotherm at 140–210 °C, and the ARC results show one rapid exotherm with an onset temperature of 118 ± 5 °C. These exotherms result from the rapid and energetic reaction between lactose and potassium chlorate. Kinetic studies conducted separately in heatwait- search and isothermal experiments in the ARC yielded substantially different results for the activation energy. Simultaneous TG-DTAFTIR- MS was used to investigate the thermal behavior of the smoke composition and to analyze the evolved gases during the heating process. Carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapour and carbon monoxide (CO) were detected with a significant intensity using FTIR-MS. Further DSC and TG work was performed for 1-aminoanthraquinone (1-AAQ), a dye that is the main component of the smoke composition. DSC and TG results for the 1-AAQ dye are compared with those for a high purity 1-AAQ dye from a different source. The DSC and TG results indicate that the 1-AAQ dye sample had a significant nonvolatile residual mass compared to the high purity one.
Keywords: smoke composition, orange dye, aminoanthraquinone, thermal analysis, DSC, TG, DTA, FTIR, MS, ARC
Ref: JPyro, Issue 18, 2003, pp23-31
(J18_23)
© Journal of Pyrotechnics and CarnDu Ltd
