Effect of Nano‐Copper Chromite on the Thermal Decomposition and Combustion of AP‐Based Solid Propellants

Abstract

This investigation was devoted to exploring the application performance of nano‐combustion catalyst CuCr2O4 in solid propellants. In this paper, raw CuCr2O4 and nano‐CuCr2O4 prepared by the mechanical grinding method were applied in solid propellants containing ammonium perchlorate (AP), which are ammonium perchlorate/ hydroxy‐terminated polybutadiene propellant (AP/HTPB) and ammonium perchlorate/composite modified double‐base propellant (AP/CMDB). And the scanning electron microscope, displacement volume method, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and strand burner method were employed to characterize the performance of AP‐based solid propellants. The results show that the AP/HTPB propellant has fewer defects on the surface of it due to the presence of nano‐CuCr2O4, but it has no significant effect on the AP/CMDB propellant. Nano‐CuCr2O4 can also significantly increase the density of AP/HTPB propellant and AP/CMDB propellant to 1.736 g/cm3 and 1.633 g/cm3, respectively. Nano‐CuCr2O4 obviously advances the decomposition temperature of AP/HTPB propellant and AP/CMDB propellant, which also increases the apparent heat of decomposition. In addition, the burning rate of nano‐CuCr2O4‐AP/HTPB propellant and nano‐CuCr2O4‐AP/CMDB propellant increased to 1.60 mm/s and 3.23 mm/s, with an increase of 28.3 % and 26.3 %, respectively. Therefore, nano‐CuCr2O4 is expected to be widely used in solid propellants due to its excellent properties.

The positive correlation between the dispersion and catalytic performance of Fe2O3 nanoparticles in nano-Fe2O3–ultrafine AP energetic composites supported by solid UV-vis spectroscopy

“…These findings demonstrate the limitations of XRD in evaluating the dispersity of nanomaterials in energetic materials and illustrate the need to develop new techniques for evaluating the dispersion of nanomaterials. 1,8,22,41…”

“…These conclusions are consistent with the results of the difference equation, which confirms the accuracy and feasibility of the difference equation. 1,22–24,41–44…”

“…These findings demonstrate the limitations of XRD in evaluating the dispersity of nanomaterials in energetic materials and illustrate the need to develop new techniques for evaluating the dispersion of nanomaterials. 1,8,22,41 IR was used to probe the structure of different composites. The nano-Fe 2 O 3 -ultrafine AP composites with different dispersions exhibited four intense diffraction peaks (Fig.…”

“…Solid propellants have been extensively used as the main energy source for rocket and missile engines in aerospace. 1,2 Higher demands are placed on propellants to improve the destructive effect and precise navigation of the weapon, such as higher burning speeds and greater thrust. 3 Many methods have been adopted to improve the performance of propellants, such as replacing coarse-grained energetic materials with nanoenergetic materials, replacing ammonium perchlorate (AP) with high-energy and high-density energetic materials, and adding nanocombustion catalysts to propellants.…”

“…The application of such nanocatalytic materials can also considerably improve the performance of propellants by increasing the burning rate, reducing the pressure index, adjusting and improving the ballistic properties, improving the energy performance, and reducing the characteristic signal of the propellants. 1,6,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] However, the different catalysts mentioned exert different catalytic effects on AP. Nanocarbon materials can act as reducing agents to react with AP and release more heat; however, their catalytic ability for the thermal decomposition of AP is weaker than that of nanometals or nanometal oxides.…”