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Kinetic Deuterium Isotope Effects in the combustion of formulated nitramine propellants
Author(s) -
Trulove Paul C.,
Chapman Robert D.,
Shackelford Scott A.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.56
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1521-4087
pISSN - 0721-3115
DOI - 10.1002/prep.19940190108
Subject(s) - propellant , kinetic isotope effect , combustion , deuterium , chemistry , decomposition , inorganic chemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
The kinetic deuterium isotope effect was used to investigate the rate‐limiting process in the combustion of formulated nitramine propellants. Model propellant formulations containing either octahydro‐1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7‐tetrazocine (HMX), hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX), or their deuteriated analogues were pressed into pellets and burned under nitrogen pressure in a window bomb. The magnitudes of the observed deuterium isotope effects indicate that the HMX and RDX exert significant control over the combustion phenomenon of the propellants studied. Furthermore, assuming a consistent mechanism between decomposition and combustion, the observed isotope effects suggest that a carbon‐hydrogen bond rupture in HMX or RDX is the rate‐controlling step in the combustion of the model nitramine propellants. Observed isotope effect values for HMX‐CW5 and RDX‐CW5 formulated propellants at 1000 psig (6.99 MPa) pressure were 1.29 ± 0.09 and 1.24 ± 0.07, respectively, compared to a theoretical estimate of 1.29 for a primary effect due to CH bond rupture at 673 K.