Ammonium Perchlorate, Friend or Foe? Part 1: The Influence of this Oxidizer on the Aging Behavior of Propellant Compositions

Abstract

Propellants containing nitroglycerine and ammonium perchlorate have been reported to have comparatively shorter shelf lives than analogous energetic materials without this oxidizer. However, investigation into the aging behavior of three compositions containing polyethylene glycol and nitroglycerine revealed that the propellant which included ammonium perchlorate degraded at a slower rate compared with the other materials. It was suggested that ammonium perchlorate might act as an oxygen inhibitor reducing the oxidation rate of the polyethylene glycol binder so decreasing the rate of the propellant decomposition. In addition, at temperatures of 80 °C or lower, ammonium perchlorate initially appears to hinder acid hydrolysis of nitroglycerine which also slows down the degradation of polyethylene glycol based propellant.

Ammonium Perchlorate, Friend or Foe?

“…In part 1 of this paper it was demonstrated that a propellant composition containing AP along with NG and PEG degraded at a slower rate than the other two materials studied which did not incorporate this oxidizer [1]. The reasons for these observations have been further investigated using a range of analytical techniques.…”

“…At elevated temperatures, or at lower temperatures such as 80 8C over long time periods, a propellant composition, containing polyethylene glycol (PEG), AP and nitroglycerine (NG), suddenly and violently ignites without prior warning such as a gradual temperature rise or the evolution of brown fumes [1].…”