Scientific Technical Review

Comparison of the results of gunpowder chemical stability assessment by procedures based on natural and accelerated aging was performed. It was achieved by introducing some of modification in extrapolation expression of NATO standard AOP-48 Ed. 2. Real storage conditions of naturally aged nitrocellulose gunpowder from collection KB-1 under the continental and from collection KB-2 under the Mediterranean climate, instead of standard AOP-48 Ed. 2 conditions, 10 years at 25°C, were introduced in mentioned extrapolation expression. Based on the analysis of the results, it can be concluded that the depletion of the stabilizer in each of the temperature-time loads of accelerated aging of the NC, NCD and NGB powder is greater than the depletion of the stabilizer in the equivalent temperature-time conditions of natural aging of the same types of powders stored 25 years in collections KB-1 and KB-2. Exception are NC powders stored 25 years in KB-2 collection because of faster dynamics of their decomposition under the extreme Mediterranean climate conditions. Increased stabilizer depletion in accelerated and then in naturally aged powder is preferable because it provides an increased degree of safety and precautions during assessment of chemical stability of the powder by NATO standard AOP-48 Ed. 2. In this way, the possibility of applying the AOP-48 Ed. 2 standard to the nitrocellulose based powders of domestic production which were stored under the conditions of continental and Mediterranean climate, was verified.

Key words: AOP-48 Ed.2, nitrocellulose based gunpowder, chemical stability, natural aging, accelerated aging liquid chromatography.

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