In Situ Raman Kinetic Study of Nitrocellulose Hydrolysis in a Weak Alkaline Hydrazine Hydrate System

Traditional treatment methods for nitrocellulose (NC) typically degrade it only without enabling recovery, while conventional sampling methods introduce inaccuracies. To address these issues, we propose a mild hydrolysis route using hydrazine hydrate as a weak alkaline reagent. In situ Raman spectroscopy was employed to monitor the hydrolysis process in real time, enabling an accurate kinetic analysis without sampling. The accuracy of in situ Raman spectroscopy was verified by ion chromatography. Results show that nitrite ions (NO2–) are the predominant nitrogen-containing product. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and low-field 1H NMR confirmed the structural integrity of NC, with nitrate ester groups converting to hydroxyl groups. Temperature exhibited the most significant effect on the hydrolysis rate, with optimal conditions identified near 70 °C and 10% hydrazine hydrate. A pseudo-first-order kinetic model was established, yielding an apparent activation energy of 64.18 kJ mol–1. Model predictions showed less than 10% error of 10% against experimental validation. This work provides a mild, metal-free hydrolysis strategy and a reliable kinetic framework for controlled energy regulation and new disposal of NC.