Curing and Cross-Linking Processes in the Poly(3,3-bis-azidomethyl oxetane)-tetrahydrofuran/Toluene Diisocyanate/Trimethylolpropane System: A Density Functional Theory and Accelerated ReaxFF Molecular Dynamics Investigation

The physical and chemical properties of solid propellant are influenced by the composition and structure of the binder, with its network structure being formed through curing and cross-linking reactions. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of these reactions is crucial. In this study, we investigated the curing and cross-linking mechanisms of poly(3,3-bis-azidomethyl oxetane)-tetrahydrofuran (PBT), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and trimethylolpropane (TMP) using a combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and accelerated ReaxFF molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. DFT calculations revealed that the steric effect of the -CH