Interstitial solid solution formation in nitrocellulose: providing a route for low- temperature processing and material design

Interstitial solid solution formation in nitrocellulose: providing a route for low- temperature processing and material design | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Interstitial solid solution formation in nitrocellulose: providing a route for low- temperature processing and material design Vladimir Lomadurov This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8870382/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This work investigates the structural transformations and mechanical properties of nitrocellulose (NC, cellulose nitrate) modified with an azido plasticizer. Contrary to the traditional paradigm assuming amorphization, our wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) data reveal that its phase state is best described as an interstitial solid solution. The retention of chain orientation within the NC crystalline domains enabled low-temperature (~ 60°C) aqueous processing. This approach allows for the fabrication of monolithic materials, in particular films and membranes, with enhanced strength characteristics and pronounced structural anisotropy. The presented approach provides a basis for the energy-efficient and safe production of high-strength anisotropic materials based on nitrocellulose. Azido Plasticizer Energetic Material Mechanical Properties Phase Transitions Structural Anisotropy Supramolecular Structure Figures Figure 2 Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8870382","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":592117414,"identity":"41d93f5b-558c-4bc7-af83-d282a8ebe46f","order_by":0,"name":"Vladimir Lomadurov","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA7ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACxgcMD0D0ARBRAcTMzA0EtDAbMCTAtZwBCTCSooWxDWwvfi0GB5gZGBIqtsnz3ch9+Jh3Xm00fztQy4+KbQS0nLltOPNGurEx77bjuTMOMzYw9py5jVOLZAP/AYbEttuMG26ksUnO3HYstwGohZmxDZ8WoC1ALfYQLXOO5c4npIWfAaIlEaRF4mNDTe4GglqYmRkOAP2SPPPMM2aDD8cO5G4EajmIzy9s7M2MDz5U3LbtO57G+CChpi533vnDBx/8qMCtBeSuA0jcw2DyADaVuEAdKYpHwSgYBaNghAAABEBcUyoVSKMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vladimir","middleName":"","lastName":"Lomadurov","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-13 10:08:22","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8870382/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8870382/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103506180,"identity":"12976374-9204-4a27-a382-0caf5e860f91","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-26 13:34:26","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":3037241,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(A)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eDecomposition of the initial nitrocellulose (N = 12.0–12.1%) diffractogram into individual interference lines and a wide halo. (B) Diffractogram of the final molded product sample, showing the preservation of the main (110) reflection.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8870382/v1/e20faf2e26d74994d6473cb3.png"},{"id":106723605,"identity":"9a88d275-60dd-4490-b130-3ec38ab1d86f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-12 18:08:31","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2675729,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptLomadurov.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8870382/v1_covered_6d592563-dcc9-4f37-8641-4186f5959ac3.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Interstitial solid solution formation in nitrocellulose: providing a route for low- temperature processing and material design","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Azido Plasticizer, Energetic Material, Mechanical Properties, Phase Transitions, Structural Anisotropy, Supramolecular Structure","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8870382/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8870382/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis work investigates the structural transformations and mechanical properties of nitrocellulose (NC, cellulose nitrate) modified with an azido plasticizer. Contrary to the traditional paradigm assuming amorphization, our wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) data reveal that its phase state is best described as an interstitial solid solution. The retention of chain orientation within the NC crystalline domains enabled low-temperature (~\u0026thinsp;60\u0026deg;C) aqueous processing. This approach allows for the fabrication of monolithic materials, in particular films and membranes, with enhanced strength characteristics and pronounced structural anisotropy. 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