Reaction Profiling and Process Optimization for the Azidation of Tetrafunctional Glycidyl Azide Polymer Using FTIR Spectroscopy

Glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) with tetra hydroxyl functional groups often known as tetra functional GAP or t-GAP is a potential energetic polymeric binder for high-energy composite solid rocket propellant and plastic bonded high explosive formulations. t-GAP is synthesized via azidation of the tetrafunctional precursor of poly-epichlorohydrine (t-PECH) by sodium azide in DMSO. In this article, synthesis of t-GAP is studied using IR-spectroscopy, and an attempt is made to monitor the reaction progress through characteristic IR absorption bands corresponding to C–N₃ in t-GAP and C–Cl in t-PECH vibrations aiming to optimize reaction parameters.