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Using cyclodextrin is not rocket science…except for NASA researchers.

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John P. Consaga (1940-2021), a world-renowned rocket scientist having distinguished career for the United States Navy, the US Department of Defense, NASA and Navy International Programs Service had numerous patent applications recorded in his name for his inventions of bonding agents, propellants, complex liquid fuel compositions, and radar-reflecting electrolytes.  

Four of these (all granted) are related to nitrated monomeric and polymeric cyclodextrins. Here is a collection with references:

US5114506 – ENERGETIC COMPOSITES OF CYCLODEXTRIN NITRATE ESTERS AND NITRATE ESTER PLASTICIZERS

Claiming an energetic composite comprising a mixture of an energetic organic solid material that is a nitrate ester of a cyclodextrin or a mixture of cyclodextrins which has an average of from 2 to 3 nitrate ester groups per D-glucose unit in the cyclodextrin or cyclodextrin mixture; and an energetic nitrate ester plasticizer, wherein the amount of the plasticizer ranges from the amount required to produce a flexible composite up to the amount that saturates the composite.

US6110306 – COMPLEXED LIQUID FUEL COMPOSITIONS

Claiming a complexed liquid fuel composition comprising a cyclodextrin nitrate; a nitrate ester plasticizer; bismuth subsalicylate; and a stabilizer,wherein the cyclodextrin nitrate, nitrate ester plasticizer and bismuth subsalicylate are complexed together into an energetic compound.

US6527887 – POLYMERIC CYCLODEXTRIN NITRATE ESTERS

Claiming a composition of matter comprising nitrated cyclodextrin polymers with a molecular weight between 2,000-50,000 as well as a complex comprising a polymeric cyclodextrin nitrate and an explosive.

US6293201 – CHEMICALLY REACTIVE FRAGMENTATION WARHEAD

Claiming chemically reactive fragmentation warhead comprising plurality of polar imbiber masses; and a complexed energetic composition of cyclodextrin nitrate, a nitrate ester plasticizer, bismuth subsalicylate and a stabilizer, wherein the complexed energetic composition is bound within the plurality of polar imbiber masses.

Actual use and industrial production of these cyclodextrin derivatives has not been reported to the best of my knowledge, however, such applications are rarely public. Actually, not at all.

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