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Identification of Combustion Products from Colored Smokes containing organic dyes
Author(s) -
Chin A.,
Borer L.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.56
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1521-4087
pISSN - 0721-3115
DOI - 10.1002/prep.19830080406
Subject(s) - chemistry , anthraquinone , combustion , pyrolysis , pyrene , xylene , organic chemistry , gas chromatography , thermal decomposition , chromatography , toluene
Devices producing different colored smokes have been widely used by military and civilians for signaling, screening, and display. Attention has not yet been placed on the analysis of the combustion products from these devices which may be hazardous. Combustion products from these colored smokes containing organic dyes produced at the normal function temperature (approximately 400°C–600°C) of the compositions have been studied in our laboratory. The five dyes contained in the smoke compositions studied are: benzanthrone, dibenzo(a,h)pyrene‐7,14‐dione, 1,4‐di‐p‐toluidino‐anthraquinone, 1‐methylamino‐anthraquinone, and α‐xylene‐azo‐β‐naphthol. A modified EPA‐Method 5 sampling train containing Amberlite XAD‐2 as the absorbant was used to sample the organic vapors and particulates in the effluent. ánalytical methods used to separate, purify, and identify the products include TLC, HPLC, GC, GC‐MS, and NMR. Minimum destruction of the organic dyes is desired for a good smoke. Our preliminary investigations indicate that 90%–95% of the organic dye sublimes while the other 5%–10% is lost to combustion. The combustion products observed, to date, have been identified as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's) and polynuclear organic materials (POM's) which are the result of thermal decomposition and thermal rearrangement of the parent dyes. At the temperature of functioning, no ring opening of the dyes has been observed.