Water-based synthesis of poly(tetrazoles) and articles formed therefrom

1. An article including a product formed by the method comprising the steps of:

providing a reaction vessel;

adding water to the reaction vessel;

adding at least one azide salt to the reaction vessel;

adding at least one surfactant to the reaction vessel;

adding at least one divalent zinc halide to the reaction vessel;

adding at least one polymer containing cyano or nitrile functionality to the reaction vessel,

wherein the order of adding the water, azide salt, surfactant and polymer to the reactant vessel may be varied;

mixing the contents of the reaction vessel into a liquid mixture;

heating the contents of the reaction vessel thereby reacting the contents of the reaction vessel;

cooling the contents of the reaction vessel;

filtering the contents of the reaction vessel to produce a filtrate;

washing the filtrate with water to produce a filtrate/water mixture;

dispersing the filtrate/water mixture into about 1.0-10 L of cold water and stirring the same;

acidifying the dispersed filtrate/water mixture to a pH of about 1-3 and stirring the same;

filtering the acidified filtrate/water mixture to separate a solid from the acidified filtrate/water mixture;

washing the solid;

suspending the solid in water and adding an excess amount of ammonium hydroxide to the suspension while stirring the same;

dissolving the solid in the ammonium hydroxide mixture to form a slurry; and

pouring the slurry into a container and drying the slurry to form a final solid,

wherein said product is selected from one of the group consisting of ammonium poly(c-vinyl) tetrazole, ammonium poly(2-methyl-5-vinyl)tetrazole, ammonium poly(cyanoacrylate), ammonium poly(acrylonitrile/butadiene), and ammonium poly(styrene/acrylonitrile).

2. An article including a composition formed by the method comprising the steps of:

providing a reaction vessel;

adding water, at least one azide salt, at least one surfactant, at least one divalent zinc halide, and at least one polymer containing cyano or nitrile functionality to the reaction vessel, wherein the order of adding the water, the azide salt, the surfactant, the divalent zinc halide, and the polymer to the reactant vessel may be varied;

mixing the contents of the reaction vessel into a liquid mixture to react the mixture;

washing and filtering the contents of the reaction vessel to produce a filtrate/water mixture;

acidifying the filtrate/water mixture to a pH of about 1-3 and stirring the same thereby forming a solid in solution;

suspending the solid in water and adding an excess amount of a base to the suspension while stirring the same;

dissolving the solid in the base/water mixture to form a slurry; and

pouring the slurry into a container and drying the slurry to form a final solid,

wherein said final solid is selected from one of the group consisting of ammonium poly(c-vinyl) tetrazole, ammonium poly(2-methyl-5-vinyl)tetrazole, ammonium poly(cyanoacrylate), ammonium poly(acrylonitrile/butadiene), and ammonium poly(styrene/acrylonitrile).

3. A gas generator containing a product formed by the method comprising the steps of:

providing a reaction vessel;

adding water, at least one azide salt, at least one surfactant, at least one divalent zinc halide, and at least one polymer containing cyano or nitrile functionality to the reaction vessel, wherein the order of adding the water, the azide salt, the surfactant, the divalent zinc halide, and the polymer to the reactant vessel may be varied;

mixing the contents of the reaction vessel into a liquid mixture to react the mixture;

washing and filtering the contents of the reaction vessel to produce a filtrate/water mixture;

acidifying the filtrate/water mixture to a pH of about 1-3 and stirring the same thereby forming a solid in solution;

suspending the solid in water and adding an excess amount of a base to the suspension while stirring the same;

dissolving the solid in the base/water mixture to form a slurry; and

pouring the slurry into a container and drying the slurry to form a final solid,

wherein said final solid is selected from one of the group consisting of ammonium of poly(c-vinyl) tetrazole, ammonium poly(2-methyl-5-vinyl)tetrazole, ammonium poly(cyanoacrylate), ammonium poly(acrylonitrile/butadiene), and ammonium poly(styrene/acrylonitrile).

4. A substrate containing a coating formed by the method comprising the steps of:

providing a reaction vessel;

adding water to the reaction vessel;

adding at least one azide salt to the reaction vessel;

adding at least one surfactant to the reaction vessel;

adding at least one divalent zinc halide to the reaction vessel;

adding at least one polymer containing cyano or nitrite functionality to the reaction vessel, wherein the order of adding the water, azide salt, surfactant and polymer to the reactant vessel may be varied;

mixing the contents of the reaction vessel into a liquid mixture;

heating the contents of the reaction vessel thereby reacting the contents of the reaction vessel;

cooling the contents of the reaction vessel;

filtering the contents of the reaction vessel to produce a filtrate;

washing the filtrate with water to produce a filtrate/water mixture;

dispersing the filtrate/water mixture into about 1.0-10 L of cold water and stirring the same;

acidifying the dispersed filtrate/water mixture to a pH of about 1-3 and stirring the same;

filtering the acidified filtrate/water mixture to separate a solid from the acidified filtrate/water mixture;

washing the solid;

suspending the solid in water and adding an excess amount of ammonium hydroxide to the suspension while stirring the same;

dissolving the solid in the ammonium hydroxide mixture to form a slurry; and

pouring the slurry into a container and drying the slurry to form a final solid,

wherein said final solid is selected from one of the group consisting of ammonium poly(c-vinyl) tetrazole, ammonium poly(2-methyl-5-vinyl)tetrazole, ammonium poly(cyanoacrylate) ammonium poly(acrylonitrile/butadiene), and ammonium poly(styrene/acrylonitrile).

5. A substrate containing a coating formed by the method comprising the steps of:

providing a reaction vessel;

adding water, at least one azide salt, at least one surfactant, at least one divalent zinc halide, and at least one polymer containing cyano or nitrile functionality to the reaction vessel, wherein the order of adding the water, the azide salt, the surfactant, the divalent zinc halide, and the polymer to the reactant vessel may be varied;

mixing the contents of the reaction vessel into a liquid mixture to react the mixture;

washing and filtering the contents of the reaction vessel to produce a filtrate/water mixture;

acidifying the filtrate/water mixture to a pH of about 1-3 and stirring the same thereby forming a solid in solution;

suspending the solid in water and adding an excess amount of a base to the suspension while stirring the same;

dissolving the solid in the base/water mixture to form a slurry; and

pouring the slurry into a container and drying the slurry to form a final solid,

wherein said final solid is selected from one of the croup consisting of ammonium poly(c-vinyl) tetrazole, ammonium poly(2-methyl-5-vinyl)tetrazole, ammonium poly(cyanoacrylate), ammonium poly(acrylonitrile/butadiene), and ammonium poly(stryene/acrylonitrile).

6. An article containing the product formed by the method including the steps of:

providing a reaction vessel;

adding water, at least one azide salt, at least one surfactant, at least one divalent zinc halide, and at least one polymer containing cyano or nitrile functionality to the reaction vessel, wherein the order of adding the water, the azide salt, the surfactant, the divalent zinc halide, and the polymer to the reactant vessel may be varied;

mixing the contents of the reaction vessel into a liquid mixture to react the mixture;

washing and filtering the contents of the reaction vessel to produce a filtrate/water mixture;

acidifying the filtrate/water mixture to a pH of about 1-3 and stirring the same;

filtering the acidified filtrate/water mixture to separate a solid from the acidified filtrate/water mixture;

suspending the solid in water and adding an excess amount of a base to the suspension while stirring the same;

dissolving the solid in the base/water mixture to form a slurry; and

pouring the slurry into a container and drying the slurry to form a final solid,

wherein said final solid is selected from one of the group consisting of ammonium poly(c-vinyl) tetrazole, ammonium poly(2-methyl-5-vinyl)tetrazol, ammonium poly(cyanoacrylate), ammonium and poly(acrylonitrile/butadiene), and ammonium poly(styrene/acrylonitrile).

7. A substrate containing a coating formed by the method including the steps of:

providing a reaction vessel;

adding water, at least one azide salt, at least one surfactant, at least one divalent zinc halide, and at least one polymer containing cyano or nitrile functionality to the reaction vessel, wherein the order of adding the water, the azide salt, the surfactant, the divalent zinc halide, and the polymer to the reactant vessel may be varied;

mixing the contents of the reaction vessel into a liquid mixture to react the mixture;

washing and filtering the contents of the reaction vessel to produce a filtrate/water mixture;

acidifying the filtrate/water mixture to a pH of about 1-3 and stirring the same;

filtering the acidified filtrate/water mixture to separate a solid from the acidified filtrate/water mixture;

suspending the solid in water and adding an excess amount of a base to the suspension while stirring the same;

dissolving the solid in the base/water mixture to form a slurry; and

pouring the slurry into a container and drying the slurry to form a final solid,

wherein said final solid is selected from one of the group consisting of ammonium poly(c-vinyl) tetrazole ammonium poly(2-methyl-5-vinyl)tetrazole ammonium poly(cyanoacrylate), ammonium poly(acrylonitrile/butadiene), and ammonium poly(styrene/acrylonitrile).