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Methods for the separation of targeted components from gun propellant formulations. In particular, the methods separate targeted components in a usable/useful form. Preferred methods are directed to the separation of nitrocellulose, nitroguanidine and/or nitroglycerine from a formulation containing

Methods for the separation of targeted components from gun propellant formulations. In particular, the methods separate targeted components in a usable/useful form. Preferred methods are directed to the separation of nitrocellulose, nitroguanidine and/or nitroglycerine from a formulation containing one or more of these components.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for recovering components of a gun propellant formulation comprising nitroguanidine, nitrocellulose and nitro glycerine, the method comprising: adding a solvent to the formulation to solubilize the gun propellant formulation, wherein the nitroguanadine is insoluble i

What is claimed is: 1. A method for recovering components of a gun propellant formulation comprising nitroguanidine, nitrocellulose and nitro glycerine, the method comprising: adding a solvent to the formulation to solubilize the gun propellant formulation, wherein the nitroguanadine is insoluble in the solvent; separating the insoluble nitroguanidine out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation; adding at least one crosslinker to the formulation, wherein the crosslinker preferentially reacts with the nitrocellulose; and removing the cross-linked nitrocellulose from the solubilized gun propellant formulation, wherein the cross-linker is added to a solubilized gun propellant formulation that has been dried to remove water. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein nitrocellulose is separated as a cross-linked nitrocellulose. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cross-linker is a multifunctional isocyanate. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the multifunctional isocyanate is selected from diisocyanates, polyisocyanates and mixtures thereof. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the multifunctional isocyanate is selected from aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic polyisocyanates. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the multifunctional isocyanate is selected from hexamethylediisocyanate, tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate, 4-methyl-1,3-phenylene diisocyanate, TDI and its dimmers, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate and its oligomers, 1-isocyanato-3-isocyanatomethyl-3,5,5-trimethyl-cyclohexane, 4,4'-diisocyanato dicyclohexylmethane and its oligomers, 1,5-diisocyanato-2-methylpentane and its oligomers, 1,12-diisocyanatododecane and its oligomers, 1,4-diisocyanatobutane and its oligomers, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), 1,4-cyclohexane diisocyanate, 1-methyl-2,4-cyclohexane diisocyanate, 4,4'-, 2,2'-and 2,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, mixtures of 2,4-and 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, urethane-modified, liquid 2,4-and/or 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanates, 4,4'-diisocyanato-1,2-diphenylethane and 1,5-naphthylene diisocyanate, 1-methyl-2,6-cyclohexane diisocyanate and isomer mixtures thereof, 4,4'-, 2,4'-and 2,2'-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate and isomer mixtures thereof. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the crosslinker is 1,6-diisocyanatohexane. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the crosslinker is selected so as to yield a specific crosslinked nitrocellulose product. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the crosslinker is added in the presence of a catalyst. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the catalyst is an organic or organometallic catalyst, capable of catalyzing a crosslinking reaction. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the catalyst is an organic metal compound. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the organic metal compound is selected from titanic acid esters, iron compounds and tin compounds. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the organic metal compound is selected from tin diacetate, tin dioctoate and tin dilaurate. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the catalyst is a dialkyltin salt of aliphatic carboxylic acids. 15. The method of claim 9, wherein the catalyst is selected from dibutyltin diacetate, dibutyltin dilaurate or the like. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the catalyst is dibutyltin dilaurate. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the nitrocellulose is separated by adding a crosslinker to the formulation, allowing the crosslinker to crosslink with the nitrocellulose in the formulation, allowing a viscous gel to form, and drying the viscous gel to yield cross-linked nitrocellulose network. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the components separated out is a polyurethane product. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the polyurethane product is in the form of a powder, paste, viscous or elastic solution, or gel. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein nitrocellulose is separated from the formulation as a precursor for coating compositions. 21. The method of claim 1, wherein a non-hazardous solvent is used to selectively separate nitroguanadine from the formulation. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the solvent is selected from solvents that do not react with crosslinker(s) used in the method. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the solvent is an organic solvent. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the solvent is selected from ethers, alcohols, ketones, nitrites, nitro compounds, unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof. 25. The method of claim 21, wherein the solvent is selected from acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, and cyclohexanone. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the solvent is acetone. 27. The method of claim 21, further comprising, after separating nitroguanidine from the formulation, further separating remaining amounts of nitroguanidine remaining in the formulation. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein remaining amounts of nitroguanidine remaining in the formulation are separated using a non-hazardous solvent. 29. The method of claim 1, wherein nitroglycerine is separated from the formulation by using a solvent. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the solvent is selected from acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, tetrahydrofuran and mixtures thereof. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the solvent is acetone. 32. The method of claim 1, wherein nitroglycerine is separated out of the formulation in a form usable in pharmaceutical compositions. 33. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating out nitroguanidine, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine from the formulation comprises utilizing one or more crosslinkers and/or one or more non-hazardous solvents. 34. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating out nitroguanidine, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine from the formulation comprises adding crosslinkers and/or non-hazardous solvents to the gun propellant formulations. 35. The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 90% of the nitrocellulose present in the formulation is separated out of the formulation. 36. The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 95% of the nitrocellulose present in the formulation is separated out of the formulation. 37. The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 98% of the nitrocellulose present in the formulation is separated out of the formulation. 38. The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 99% of the nitrocellulose present in the formulation is separated out of the formulation. 39. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating out nitroguanidine, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine from the formulation comprises: solubilizing the gun propellant formulation in a solution of recyclable organic solvent; separating the insoluble nitroguanidine to yield a mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine; reacting the nitrocellulose with a cross-linker to yield an insoluble nitrocellulose; and separating the nitroglycerine from the cross-linked nitrocellulose. 40. A method for recovering components of a gun propellant formulation comprising: adding a solvent to the gun propellant formulation to solubilize the gun propellant formulation, the gun propellant formulation comprising nitroguanadine, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine, wherein the nitroguanadine is insoluble in the solvent; separating the insoluble nitroguanidine out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation; adding at least one cross-linker to the solubilized gun propellant formulation wherein the crosslinker preferentially reacts with the nitrocellulose resulting in precipitation of cross-linked nitrocellulose; and separating the cross-linked nitrocellulose from the solubilized gun propellant formulation, the solubilized gun propellant formulation containing at least about 50% of the nitroglycerine from the gun propellant formulation. 41. The method of claim 1 wherein nitroguanidine is separated from the formulation first, followed by the nitrocellulose, and nitroglycerine remaining in the formulation is then purified. 42. The method of claim 40, wherein the solubilized gun propellant formulation contains at least about 60% of the nitroglycerine from the gun propellant formulation. 43. The method of claim 40, wherein the solubilized gun propellant formulation contains at least about 70% of the nitroglycerine from the gun propellant formulation. 44. The method of claim 40, wherein the solubilized gun propellant formulation contains at least about 80% of the nitroglycerine from the gun propellant formulation. 45. A method for recovering components of a gun propellant formulation, comprising: adding a solvent to the gun propellant formulation to solubilize the gun propellant formulation, the gun propellant formulation comprising nitroguanadine, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine, wherein the nitroguanadine is insoluble in the solvent; separating the insoluble nitroguanidine out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation; adding at least one crosslinker to the solubilized gun propellant formulation, wherein the crosslinker preferentially reacts with the nitrocellulose to form a solubilized gun propellant formulation with solubilized nitroglycerine and cross-linked nitrocellulose; separating the cross-linked nitrocellulose out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation; and separating the nitroglycerine out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation by extraction.