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Thermal Decomposition Behaviors and Burning Characteristics of Ammonium Nitrate/Polytetrahydrofuran/Glycerin–based Composite Propellants Supplemented with MnO 2 and Fe 2 O 3
Author(s) -
Kohga Makoto
Publication year - 2017
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.201700014
Subject(s) - propellant , catalysis , thermal decomposition , materials science , decomposition , composite number , combustion , ammonium nitrate , chemical engineering , composite material , polymer chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Although a polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) blend with added glycerin as a crosslinking modifier is an effective binder for improving the performance of a propellant, a burning catalyst is required for the combustion of the ammonium nitrate (AN)/PTHF/glycerin propellant. MnO 2 and Fe 2 O 3 are useful burning catalysts for AN‐based propellants. The thermal decomposition behaviors of the AN/PTHF/glycerin propellant supplemented with MnO 2 and Fe 2 O 3 catalysts, and the catalytic effect of these catalysts on the burning characteristics was investigated in this study. The thermal decomposition behaviors of these propellants depended on the kind of catalyst used. The propellants containing MnO 2 burned above 4 MPa, while those containing Fe 2 O 3 burned above 0.5 MPa. The burning rate increased in the order, (AN/PTHF/Fe 2 O 3 )<(AN/PTHF/MnO 2 )<(AN/PTHF/MnO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 ). The improvement in the ignitability and burning rate was dependent on the kind of catalyst used. The burning characteristics of the AN/PTHF/glycerin propellants were improved by the combined effect of multiple catalysts with differing catalytic mechanisms, as compared to the propellant supplemented with any single catalyst.