A supercritical antisolvent process has been applied to obtain the nitrocellulose nanoparticles with an average size of 190 nm from the nitrocellulose fibers of 20 μm in diameter. Compared to the micron-sized powder, nano-nitrocellulose is characterized with a slightly lower decomposition onset, however, the friction sensitivity has been improved substantially along with the burning rate increasing from 3.8 to 4.7 mm·s⁻¹ at 2 MPa. Also, the proposed approach allows the production of stable nitrocellulose composites. Thus, the addition of 1 wt.% carbon nanotubes further improves the sensitivity of the nano-nitrocellulose up to the friction-insensitive level. Moreover, the simultaneous introduction of carbon nanotubes and nanosized iron oxide catalyzes the combustion process evidenced by a high-speed filming and resulting in the 20% burning rate increasing at 12 MPa. The presented approach to the processing of energetic nanomaterials based on the supercritical fluid technology opens the way to the production of nitrocellulose-based nanopowders with improved performance.

Regardless of the sustainable development path, today, there are highly demanded chemical productions still operating that bear environmental and technological risks inherited from the previous century. The fabrication of nitro compounds, and nitroarenes in particular, is traditionally associated with acidic wastes formed in nitration reactions exploiting mixed acids. However, nitroarenes are indispensable for industrial and military applications. We faced the challenge and developed a greener, safer, and yet effective method for the production of nitroaromatics. The proposed approach comprises the application of an eco-friendly nitrating agent, namely dinitrogen pentoxide (DNP), in the medium of liquefied 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (TFE) – one of the most non-hazardous Freons. Importantly, the used TFE is not emitted into the atmosphere but is effortlessly recondensed and returned into the process. DNP is obtained via the oxidation of dinitrogen tetroxide with ozone. The elaborated method is characterized by high yields of the targeted nitro arenes, mild reaction conditions, and minimal amount of easy-to-utilize wastes.

The first ever installation for continuous nitration in a liquefied gas mobile phase was developed.

A three-component Strecker reaction of aldehydes, amines and KCN has been performed for the first time in supercritical carbon dioxide. In the proposed procedure, non-toxic and non-flammable carbon dioxide acts not only as an environmentally benign reaction medium but also as a reaction promoter via in situ formation of carbonic acid which provides a gradual release of the true cyanating agent (HCN) from available KCN. The reaction conditions (pressure, temperature, and concentrations of reagents) were optimized, and various aromatic and aliphatic amines and aldehydes were transformed into valuable α-amino nitriles including prospective pharmacological substances. The equimolar amount of used cyanogen reagent, carrying out the process in a sealed autoclave in a ‘green’ solvent medium under mild conditions (90 bar, 35 °C) along with the high yields of products and the scalability of the developed procedure make it suitable for sustainable industrial applications.