Contact Dr Nathalie Mai
- Tel: 01234988448
- Email: n.mai@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
Areas of expertise
- Test and Evaluation
- Explosives and Munitions
Background
Dr Nathalie Mai obtained a PhD with distinction in asymmetric synthesis from Montpellier University, France. She worked as a post-doctoral researcher for two years in pharmaceutical science at the University of Manchester. After a break, she joined Cranfield University where she focused her career on the chemistry of energetic materials with a particular interest in understanding the life limiting factors of explosives and propellants and all aspect of life assessment of energetic materials.
Research opportunities
Nitrocellulose characterisation
Conventional gun propellants
Next generation gun propellants
NC based rocket propellants
Composite rocket propellants
Polymer bonded explosives
Stability and compatibility of energetic materials
Ageing of energetic materials
Detection
Home made explosives
Current activities
Nitrocellulose and propellant life assessment
Energetic materials characterisation
HPLC, GPC, IC, GC-MS, HFC, FTIR, chemiluminescence
Stability and compatibility tests
Clients
- Atomic Weapons Establishment
- BAE Systems PLC
- Chemring Group PLC
- Roxel (MBDA)
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Wallace IG, Mai N, Gill PP, Hood R, Parker M, .... (2025). The use of chemiluminescence nitrogen oxides analysis for the study of the decomposition of nitrocellulose. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 50(5)
- Standley T, Putruele C, Lambert G, Kelly C, Liechti JM, .... (2025). Quantification of smokeless powder (SLP) additives on hands after direct handling of bulk samples via a filter-and-shoot method. Science & Justice, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)
- Jabalquinto AR, Mai N, Heil M, Castedo GF & Gill PP. (2025). Factorial analysis of the influence of both water and oxygen on extruded double base rocket propellant decomposition. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)
- Standley T, Putruele C, Lambert G, Kelly C, Liechti J, .... (2025). Corrigendum to “Quantification of smokeless powder (SLP) additives on hands after direct handling of bulk samples via a filter-and-shoot method” [Sci. Justice (2025) 101262]. Science & Justice
- Romero Jabalquinto A, Mai N, Belghiche S & Gill PP. (2024). Modified Arrhenius kinetics for double base propellant decomposition: effect of water. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 227
- Romero Jabalquinto A, Mai N, Mohammed Y & Gill PP. (2023). Influence of humidity on the decomposition process of double base rocket propellant. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 218
- Ugbeh Johnson J, Carpenter M, Okeke NE, Nnabuife SG & Mai N. (2022). Investigation of water droplet size distribution in conventional and sustainable aviation turbine fuels. SAE International Journal of Fuels and Lubricants, 15(3)
- Ugbeh-Johnson J, Carpenter M, Okeke NE & Mai N. (2022). Characterization of water droplets size distribution in aviation turbine fuel: ultrasonic homogeniser vs high shear speed mixer. Fuel, 332(1)
- Lefferts MJ, Humphreys LH, Mai N, Murugappan K, Armitage BI, .... (2021). ANFO vapour detection with conducting polymer percolation network sensors and GC/MS. The Analyst, 146(7)
- Lefferts MJ, Humphreys LH, Mai N, Murugappan K, Armitage BI, .... (2021). Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil Vapour Detection with Conducting Polymer Percolation Network Sensors. ECS Meeting Abstracts, MA2021-01(56)
- Galante EBF, Mai N, Ladyman MK, Gill PP, Temple TJ, .... (2020). Evaluation of small-scale combustion of an insensitive high explosive formulation containing 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO), 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN), and 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). Journal of Energetic Materials, 39(1)
- Luppi F, Mai N, Kister G, Gill PP, Gaulter S, .... (2019). Chemical modification of β-cyclodextrins: balancing soft and rigid domains in complex structures. Chemistry – A European Journal, 25(68)
- Temple TJ, Cipullo S, Galante E, Ladyman MK, Mai N, .... (2019). The effect of soil type on the extraction of insensitive high explosive constituents using four conventional methods. Science of The Total Environment, 668
- Temple TJ, Ladyman MK, Mai N, Galante E, Ricamora M, .... (2018). Investigation into the environmental fate of the combined Insensitive High Explosive constituents 2, 4-dinitroanisole (DNAN), 1-nitroguanidine (NQ) and nitrotriazolone (NTO) in soil. Science of The Total Environment, 625
- Temple TJ, Goodwin C, Ladyman MK, Mai N & Coulon F. (2018). Optimised accelerated solvent extraction of hexahydro‐1, 3, 5‐trinitro‐1, 3, 5 triazine (RDX) from polymer bonded explosives. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 43(11)
- Tennant M, Chew SC, Krämer T, Mai N, McAteer D, .... (2018). Practical colorimetry of 3-Nitro-1,2,4-Triazol-5-One. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 44(2)
- Walsh MR, Temple TJ, Big MF, Tshabalala SF, Mai N, .... (2017). Investigation of energetic particle distribution from high-order detonations of munitions. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 42(8)
- Chew SC, Tennant M, Mai N, McAteer D & Pons J-F. (2017). Practical remediation of 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one wastewater. Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, 42(2)
- Kumar M, Ladyman MK, Mai N, Temple TJ & Coulon F. (2016). Release of 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) from polymer-bonded explosives (PBXN 109) into water by artificial weathering. Chemosphere, 169
- Contini AE, Flood N, McAteer D, Mai N & Akhavan J. (2015). Low hazard small-scale synthesis and chemical analysis of high purity nitroglycerine (NG). RSC Advances, 5(106)
- Moniruzzaman M, Bellerby JM & Mai N. (2011). The effect of light on the viscosity and molecular mass of nitrocellulose. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 96(5)
- Akkari R, Calmes M, Mai N, Rolland M & Martinez J. (2001). Synthesis of a New Insoluble Polymer-Supported Chiral Alcohol Auxiliary and Its First Application to Nucleophilic Addition to Ketenes. The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 66(17)
- Bouifraden S, Drouot C, El Hadrami M, Guenoun F, Lecointe L, .... (1999). Some of the amino acid chemistry going on in the Laboratory of Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins. Amino Acids, 16(3-4)
- Bouifraden S, Drouot C, El Hadrami M, Guenoun F, Lecointe L, .... (1999). ChemInform Abstract: Some of the Amino Acid Chemistry Going on in the Laboratory of Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins. ChemInform, 30(36)
- Calmes M, Daunis J & Mai N. (1997). Asymmetric synthesis of α-amino acids via diastereoselective addition of (R)-pantolactone to their ketenes. Tetrahedron: Asymmetry, 8(10)
- Calmes M, Daunis J & Mai N. (1997). Tertiary amines: a decisive factor in the stereoselective addition of (R)-pantolactone to N-phthalyl valine ketene. Tetrahedron, 53(40)
- CALMES M, DAUNIS J & MAI N. (1997). ChemInform Abstract: Asymmetric Synthesis of α‐Amino Acids via Diastereoselective Addition of (R)‐Pantolactone to Their Ketenes.. ChemInform, 28(41)
- Calmes M, Daunis J, Mai N & Natt F. (1996). A convenient synthesis of optically active phenylglycine. Tetrahedron Letters, 37(3)
- CALMES M, DAUNIS J, MAI N & NATT F. (1996). ChemInform Abstract: A Convenient Synthesis of Optically Active Phenylglycine.. ChemInform, 27(21)
