Preparation and Properties of a nRDX‐based Propellant

The incorporation of nano‐scaled cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (nRDX) in nitrocellulose (NC)‐based propellants poses processing problems when following conventional methods. Hence, a new preparation method containing a pre‐dispersion process was developed, by which 30 mass % RDX (290 nm) was incorporated in the propellant. Meanwhile, the corresponding 290 nm, 12.85 μm and 97.76 μm RDX‐based propellants were prepared for comparison using a conventional method. The morphology, structure, ballistic and mechanical properties of the prepared propellants were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), density analyzer, closed vessel (CV), uniaxial tensile tester and impact tester. The results indicate that the nRDX particles were uniformly dispersed in the NC/NG/TEGDN matrix using the novel method, while agglomerated and recrystallized into large particles with the conventional method. The propellant density increased with decreasing RDX particle size. In particular, the 290 nm RDX‐based propellant exhibited a higher burning rate and lower average pressure exponent (α =0.958) compared to the 12.85 μm RDX‐based propellant (α =1.043). The tensile strength, elongation at break and impact strength of the RDX‐based propellant at −40 °C, 20 °C and 50 °C were dramatically improved by using 290 nm RDX with the novel method.     

Nitramine Solid Rocket Propellants with Reduced Signature

Solid rocket propellants containing nitramine are considerably superior to doublebase propellants, both as regards their performance and mechanical properties. The pressure exponent of non-modified nitramine propellants is n ≥ 0.9. The possibility of changing the burning rate or, respectively, the pressure exponent has, however, only been realisable to a restricted extent up till now in propellants with an increased nitramine content. In the following propellant system containing nitramine, the effects of ammonium perchlorate on burning behaviour are studied:

• ammonium perchlorate (AP)
• hexogen (RDX)
• nitroglycerin (NG), or trimethylolethane trinitrate (TMETN)
• polyurethane binder (PU)

AP concentrations already as great as 10% produce considerable changes in the burning behaviour of the propellants described above. It is possible to reduce the pressure exponent by the addition of ammonium perchlorate from n ≥ 0.9 to n ≤ 0.65. The burning rates may also be influenced with AP concentrations ≤ 20% and by varying the AP particle size by the factor of 2. All the propellants prepared were easily castable and showed exceptionally good viscoelastic properties (strain at break ε_R > 200%) in the temperature range between −40 °C to + 50 °C. The thermal chemical stability is not influenced negatively in any way by the combination of nitric acid esters and ammonium perchlorate.     

Study on the Synthesis and Interfacial Interaction Performance of Novel Dodecylamine‐Based Bonding Agents Used for Composite Solid Propellants

An effective pathway was explored to design and select proper bonding agents that could effectively improve the interfacial interactions between bonding agents and solid particles, with three novel synthesized alkyl bonding agents, dodecylamine‐N,N‐di‐2‐hydroxypropyl‐acetate (DIHPA), dodecylamine‐N,N‐di‐2‐hydroxypropyl‐hydroxy‐acetate (DIHPHA) and dodecylamine‐N,N‐di‐2‐hydroxypropyl‐cyano‐acetate (DIHPCA), as examples. Molecular dynamics simulation was applied to compare unit bond energies of these bonding agents with the [110] crystal face of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and the [120] crystal face of hexogen (RDX). The infrared test was used to characterize the interfacial interactions of these bonding agents with AP or RDX. XPS test was applied to calculate the adhesion percentage of the bonding agents on the surface of precoated AP or RDX particles. All of the above results indicated that these three bonding agents have strong interfacial interactions with AP or RDX in the order of DIHPCA>DIHPHA>DIHPA. The prepared three bonding agents were used in HTPB/AP/RDX/Al propellants, and their effects on tensile strength (σ), elongation under maximum tensile strength (ε_m), elongation at breaking point of the propellant (ε_b) and adhesion index (Φ) of the propellant were studied. The results show that the bonding agents improve the mechanical properties of the propellant in the order of DIHPCA>DIHPHA>DIHPA. The methods found from theoretical design, materials synthesis, and mechanistics studies up to practical application show effective guiding significance for choosing the proper bonding agent and improving the interfacial interactions between the solid particles and binder matrix.     

Compounding of Glycidyl Azide Polymer with Nitrocellulose and its Influence on the Properties of Propellants

Currently formulated propellants comprise RDX and polymeric binders, such as hydroxy‐terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and cellulose‐acetate butyrate (CAB) as well as the energetic substances glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) and nitrocellulose (NC). Propellants based on GAP are often brittle if they are formulated with a high content of cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX) and due to the usually insufficient mechanical properties of GAP. On the other hand formulations based on RDX and NC may exceed the tolerable burning temperature with increasing RDX concentration. Therefore, in this study propellants with a high force and with relatively low burning temperature has been formulated by using a compound of NC and GAP as energetic binder. According to thermodynamic calculations GAP/NC composite propellants can be formulated with up to 15 percent more specific energy than seminitramines at the same burning temperature. By choosing appropriate polymerization conditions chemical stable compositions can be produced. ARC experiments give evidence that at temperatures from 120°C to 160°C the binder decomposes similar to NC. At higher temperatures the behaviour switches from NC type to GAP type decomposition. In comparison to GAP bound propellants the compressive strength of propellants bound by the GAP/NC compound can be significantly increased by up to 420 percent at room temperature. Although the examined seminitramine propellants bound with NC show a compressive strength which is about 10 percent higher at room temperature, the GAP/NC compositions are quite superior at elevated temperature.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Thermal Properties of Poly(glycidyl azide‐r‐3‐azidotetrahydrofuran) as Azido Binder for Solid Rocket Propellants

Azido polymers have been investigated as energetic binders in the area of solid rocket propellants. However, the low temperature mechanical properties of them are not comparable with the traditional propellant binders. In this work, a new kind of azido binder named poly (glycidyl azide‐r‐3‐azidotetrahydrofuran) (PGAAT) was successfully synthesized. The molecular structures of monomers and copolymers were characterized. The sensitivity and thermal properties of the azido binder were studied. The cationic copolymerization of 3‐methylsulfonyloxytetrahydrofuran with ternary cyclic ethers was confirmed. The PGAAT azido binder exhibited attractive features like low glass transition temperature (T_g, −60 °C) and high energy (1798 J/g). The results indicate that the polymer is a suitable candidate binder for the solid rocket propellants.     

含1,1–二氨基–2,2–二硝基乙烯推进剂的能量特性参数计算研究

利用国军标方法及CAD系统软件,在标准条件(pc∶p0=70∶1)下,计算了含1,1-二氨基-2,2-二硝基乙烯(FOX-7)的各类推进剂的能量特性参数,分析了氧化剂(AP、RDX、CL-20)及黏合剂(HTPB、PET、GAP、PBAMO)等成分对FOX-7推进剂能量特性的影响。结果表明,将AP加入HTPB/FOX-7推进剂配方中取代FOX-7可有效改善氧条件,有利于推进剂能量的提高。在黏合剂含量较低(质量分数<8%)的推进剂体系中,使用惰性黏合剂有利于提高推进剂的能量;而在黏合剂含量较高(质量分数>10%)的推进剂体系中,使用含能黏合剂提高推进剂能量的幅度优于惰性黏合剂,且GAP优于PBAMO。用FOX-7取代NEPE推进剂中的AP,推进剂最大理论比冲可达2 567 N.s/kg。由GAP/FOX-7/RDX组成的无烟推进剂,在很宽的范围内都可以达到2 400 N.s/kg以上的理论比冲值。     

Burning Rate – Pressure Relationship of NG‐PE‐PCP‐based High Energy Propellants

Nitramines are known to produce lower burning rates and higher pressure exponent (η) values. Studies on the burning rate and combustion behavior of advanced high‐energy NG/PE‐PCP/HMX/AP/Al based solid propellant processed by slurry cast route were carried out using varying percentages of HMX and AP. It was observed that propellant compositions containing only AP and Al loaded (total solids 75 %) in NG plasticized PE‐PCP binder produce comparatively lower pressure exponent (η) values similar to AP‐Al filled HTPB based composite propellants. However, energetic propellants containing high level of nitramine (40–60 %) produce high pressure exponent (0.8–0.9) values in the same pressure range. Incorporation of fine particle size AP (ca. 6 μm) and change in its concentration in the propellant composition reduces η value marginally and influences the burning rate. However, such compositions have higher friction sensitivity.     

Research on the Combustion Properties of Propellants with Low Content of Nano Metal Powders

A comparison of various experimental results for combustionrelated properties evaluation, including burning rates, deflagration heat, flame structures and thermal decomposition properties, of AP/RDX/Al/HTPB composite propellants containing nano metal powders is presented. The thermal behavior of n‐Al (nano grain size aluminum) and g‐Al (general grain size aluminum i.e., 10 μm) heated in air was also investigated by thermogravimetry. The burning rates results indicate that the usage of bimodal aluminum distribution with the ratio around 4 : 1 of n‐Al to g‐Al or the addition of 2% nano nickel powders (n‐Ni) will improve the burning behavior of the propellant, while the usage of grading aluminum powders with the ratio 1 : 1 of n‐Al to g‐Al will impair the combustion of the propellant. Results show that n‐Al and n‐Ni both have a lower heating capacity, lower ignition threshold and shorter combustion time than g‐Al. In addition n‐Al is inclined to burn in single particle form. And the thermal analysis results show that n‐Ni can catalyze the thermal decomposition of AP in the propellant. The results also confirm the high reactivity of n‐Al, which will lead to a lower reaction temperature and rather higher degree of reaction ratio as compared with g‐Al in air. All these factors will influence the combustion of propellants.     

Aging of ADN Rocket Propellant Formulations with Desmophen®‐Based Elastomer Binder

Desmophen® binder‐based rocket propellant formulations containing ammonium dinitramide (ADN) and different fuel filler types (Al, HMX) were manufactured and investigated. Desmophen® D2220 is a polyesterpolyol. Polyesters are seen as a binder possibility, because of the relatively low temperature of the glass transition region compared to polyether‐based prepolymers such as GAP. The analogous formulations with AP instead of ADN were also included for comparison. The aging was followed by SEM, DSC, and DMA measurements. The accelerated aging program was developed on the principle of thermal equivalent load and the generalized van’t Hoff rule with a scaling factor equal to F=2.9. The aging was performed in air (RH<10 %) at temperature values between 65 and 85 °C and aging times adjusted to a thermal equivalent load of 15 years at 25 °C. DMA measurements of the aged ADN/Desmophen®‐based propellants identified changes in the loss factor curve. In contrast to HTPB‐Al‐AP rocket propellant formulations, the loss factor curve of the ADN formulations with Desmophen®‐based elastomer binder shows only one main apparent peak. The loss factor curves were modeled with exponentially modified Gaussian functions, which have revealed the presence of a second hidden peak. It was found that the aging could be characterized by the time‐temperature dependence of the areas of the hidden peak. The area increased with aging, which is explained by scissioning of the polymer in the shell around the ADN particles. By this process the strength is reduced, which was recognized by the decrease in storage shear modulus.     

Characterization of Aging Behavior of Butacene® Based Composite Propellants by Loss Factor Curves

Butacene® is a polymeric binder with ferrocenyl groups chemically bonded to HTPB backbone. Through incorporation in the AP−Al composite propellant formulation, it leads to high burning rates (BR) >20 mm/s at 7 MPa, and low pressure exponents n<0.5, allowing more flexibility to the rocket design, keeping the characteristics (process, mechanical properties, pot‐life) of HTPB binder formulations together with a lower vulnerability (IM) contribution by Butacene®. The key molecular level characteristic of such HTPB based elastomeric binder systems of solid composite rocket propellants (SCRP) is the glass‐rubber transition region, which is mainly defined by the molecular mobility of the components in the polymeric network during the transition from energy to entropy elasticity with respect to temperature. The molecular rearrangement regions or binder mobility fractions related to the glass‐rubber transition of such composite propellants during storage are important in terms of in‐service time estimations. They are detectable by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Formulations with and without Butacene® were prepared and analyzed using the loss factor curves obtained by torsion DMA. A special modelling with so named Exponentially Modified Gaussian (EMG) distribution was used to define and quantify sub‐transition regions in the loss factor curve. SEM images revealed the network formation connected with AP bonding, which correlate to the tensile results. DMA loss factors revealed a strong oxidation with Butacene® containing formulations during aging. Burning rates of the formulations show slight increases with aging.     

Aging of HTPB/AP‐based composite solid propellants,depending on the NCO/OH and triol/diol ratios

Aging behavior of hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene/ammonium perchlorate (HTPB/AP)‐based composite solid propellants was studied as a function of crosslink density, which is predominantly determined by the molar ratio of diisocyanate to total hydroxyl (NCO/OH ratio) and the molar ratio of triol to diol (triol/diol ratio). For this purpose, 16 propellant samples with different compositions were prepared by changing the NCO/OH ratio as 0.81, 0.82, 0.83, and 0.85 for each triol/diol ratio of 0.07, 0.09, 0.11, and 0.13, and subjected to an accelerated aging at 65°C. The changes in the mechanical properties were monitored throughout the aging period. In the initial part of the aging period, a sharp increase in stress, modulus, and hardness values and a sharp decrease in strain values were observed for all the propellants. At further stages of aging, only slight changes were observed in the mechanical properties. Concerning the aging criterion as reduction in the strain capability more than the half of the initial value, the propellants with respective NCO/OH‐triol/diol ratios of 0.81–0.09, 0.85–0.09, 0.81–0.13, 0.83–0.13, and 0.85–0.13 can be considered to be aged with time. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 959–964, 2001     

Smokeless GAP‐RDX Composite Rocket Propellants Containing Diaminodinitroethylene (FOX‐7)

Composite rocket propellants prepared from nitramine fillers (RDX or HMX), glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) binder and energetic plasticizers are potential substitutes for smokeless double‐base propellants in some rocket motors. In this work, we report GAP‐RDX propellants, wherein the nitramine filler has been partly or wholly replaced by 1,1‐diamino‐2,2‐dinitroethylene (FOX‐7). These smokeless propellants, containing 60% energetic solids and 15% N‐butyl‐2‐nitratoethylnitramine (BuNENA) energetic plasticizer, exhibited markedly reduced shock sensitivity with increasing content of FOX‐7. Conversely, addition of FOX‐7 reduced the thermochemical performance of the propellants, and samples without nitramine underwent unsteady combustion at lower pressures (no burn rate catalyst was added). The mechanical characteristics were quite modest for all propellant samples, and binder‐filler interactions improved slightly with increasing content of FOX‐7. Overall, FOX‐7 remains an attractive, but less than ideal, substitute for nitramines in smokeless GAP propellants.     

Study on Thermal Decomposition of Composite Propellants containing PCP polymer or PCP-HTPB copolymer as a binder

A modified manometric vacuum stability test (MVST) apparatus as well as a differential thermal analyzer (DTA) and a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) were used to study thermal decomposition of a series of propellants. The solid propellants contained polycaprolactone (PCP) prepolymer or PCP-HTPB copolymer as binder, ammonium perchlorate (AP) and a nitramine (RDX or HMX) as oxidants, aluminum as fuel, and bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)acetal/formal (BDNPA/F) as plasticizer. The mixtures were cured with an isocyanate (Desmodur N-100). It is found from MVST examinations that propellants containing PCP polymer are more stable than ones containing PCP-HTPB copolymer. The PCP propellants were still stable after 40 hours heating at 135°C. The thermal decomposition reactions of prepared propellants during dynamic heating were indicated by two major stages of weight loss in the TGA traces.     

铜铬类催化剂对HTPE低易损推进剂燃烧性能的影响

采用差示扫描量热仪(DSC)研究了铜铬类燃速催化剂(亚铬酸铜CC01和铜铬复合氧化物CC02)对端羟基聚醚(HTPE)低易损推进剂中的高氯酸铵(AP)、改性硝酸铵(AN)、HTPE黏合剂体系热分解性能的影响。结果表明,加入少量的CC01和CC02均使AP高温分解峰温明显降低了16和29.7℃,AP高温分解活化能依次降低了16.65和22.59kJ/mol,均可提高AP的高温分解反应速率。CC01和CC02均使AN的热分解峰向低温方向依次前移了52.3和53.6℃,均降低了AN的分解活化能,使AN的热分解反应速率提高了3~4倍。CC01和CC02对HTPE黏合剂体系的热分解影响较小。在AP/AN/Al/HTPE低易损推进剂中,分别添加质量分数0.5%的CC01和CC02可显著提高HTPE低易损推进剂在3~15MPa下的燃速,可使推进剂在7MPa下的燃速分别提高34.1%和43.4%,但CC01和CC02对HTPE低易损推进剂在3~9MPa下的压强指数几乎无影响,而9~15MPa下的压强指数有所降低。     

On‐Line Auto Mass Measurement of Residual Solvent Mass and its Influence on Mechanical Properties of Propellants

An on‐line auto mass measurement approach was applied to study the volatilization of residual solvents during the drying process of a single‐based propellant, a double‐based propellant containing triethyleneglycol dinitrate (TEGDN propellant, denoted as TEGDN‐1) and a TEGDN propellant containing RDX (denoted as TEGDN‐2). Drying experiments were conducted at a temperature of 50 °C, steady humidity, and atmospheric pressure. According to the drying rate curves obtained by the on‐line auto mass measurement approach, it took 44 h, 31 h and 38 h, respectively, for the residual solvent contents of the three kinds of propellants to come to an equilibrium point, which is approximately below 1 %. The mechanical properties of propellant strands with different residual solvent contents were tested by a universal testing machine and dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DMA). The results indicate that the mechanical properties of the single‐based propellant, TEGDN‐1 and TEGDN‐2 are influenced by the residual solvent content. The propellant strands are sufficiently plastic and elastic to be cut without being deformed at a broad range of temperature when they are dried to residual solvent contents of 5.8–3.6 %, 9–5.7 %, and 9.7–6.2 %, respectively. In the drying experiment, the on‐line auto measurement approach of the residual solvent mass of propellant strands is a highly promising method in view of its improvement in the cutting efficiency of propellant strands.     

Combustion Behavior of Fluorocarbon/Boron/AP Propellant at high pressure

Thermal decomposition and the burning properties of fluorocarbon/boron/AP propellant granule have been investigated. The fluoro-carbon binder (FBDR) was oxidized by the decomposition products of admixed ammonium perchlorate (AP) and its decomposition region was 150°C lowered in the slow thermolysis. The boron particles, however reacted with neither FBDR nor AP at 550°C. In the micro-motor tests, the boron particles completely burnt at a pressure range of from 30 MPa to 80 MPa in a short period of time (one millisecond) even at a low characteristic exhaust velocity. Minimum free volume, however, was needed to complete the combustion reaction in the chamber case. The characteristic exhaust velocity significantly decreased at below the characteristic chamber length of 11 cm. The boronized propellant showed low temperature sensitivity between −30°C and 60°C.     

含黑索今酮的火药热分解及燃烧性能研究

用ＤＳＣ技术考察了７种含黑索今酮（Ｋｅｔｏ－ＲＤＸ）火药的热分解特性,并对其中３种进行了密闭爆发器测试。将ＤＳＣ数据对动力学方程进行拟合以求得动力学参数。从密闭爆发器测试结果转换得到了该３种火药的燃速－压力曲线,并对其进行了转折性分析。结果表明,向火药中加入Ｋｅｔｏ－ＲＤＸ可提高火药燃速并降低其热分解表观活化能。含Ｋｅｔｏ－ＲＤＸ的火药其燃速压力指数在低压区较在高压区为高。在火药中同时存在有Ｋｅｔｏ－ＲＤＸ和ＲＤＸ对火药热分解和燃烧的稳定性是不利的。仅由Ｋｅｔｏ－ＲＤＸ与双基粘结剂组成的火药,其燃速压力指数较由ＲＤＸ与双基粘结剂组成的火药为低。     

Mechanical properties of cerium oxide-modified vulcanised natural rubber at elevated temperature

Cerium oxide (CeO₂) was used as the reinforcement filler to improve the mechanical properties of rubbers. Rubber components are often used at high temperature, so the mechanical properties of CeO₂-modified vulcanised natural rubbers (NR/CeO₂) were investigated at elevated temperatures. The tensile properties, stress relaxation and creep recovery response were studied from 30°C to 150°C. NR/CeO₂ demonstrated higher crosslink density and elastic modulus. The degradation of elastic modulus could be alleviated in the NR/CeO₂ at elevated temperatures. Moreover, a remarkable enhancement in stress relaxation resistance and creep resistance was achieved in the NR/CeO₂ at elevated temperatures. The improved stress relaxation resistance and creep resistance were attributed to the enhanced interaction and bonding force of rubber chains caused by CeO₂ filler. CeO₂ was an effective reinforcement filler to improve the mechanical properties of NR at elevated temperatures.     

HTPB/Al/AP/RDX复合推进剂组元之间相互作用研究

为了探索HTPB/Al/AP/RDX复合推进剂组元之间的相互作用,用DSC和TG-DTG方法以及分解反应动力学计算研究了递增组元的4个混合体系(包括HTPB黏合剂体系、HTPB/Al、HTPB/Al/AP和HTPB/Al/AP/RDX推进剂体系)中各组元之间的相互作用。结果表明,DTG峰温以及反应速率常数k可以表征各组元之间的相互作用,其DSC和TG过程可以分为3个阶段;除Al外,各组元之间存在相互作用,各阶段的质量损失测定值与按组分含量计算的加合值吻合得相当好,表明各组元并没有明显的跨阶段分解;AP与HTPB黏合剂的分解温度区间接近或部分重叠,在HTPB/Al/AP和HTPB/Al/AP/RDX的混合体系中发生了强烈氧化还原作用:四组元体系中RDX在200℃及220℃的速率常数k分别为1.53和6.81s-1,均大于单质RDX在同一温度下的速率常数1.33×10-6和1.06×10-5s-1,说明AP可以加速RDX的分解,但RDX对AP或(AP+HTPB)分解的影响呈现复杂的情况,由于HTPB/Al/AP和HTPB/Al/AP/RDX两体系中AP与HTPB的共同分解过程中存在“等动力学点”(308.0℃),温度低于此点时(AP+HTPB)分解速率常数k因RDX存在而下降,而当温度高于此点时则该k值因RDX存在而增大。通过RDX分解机理解释了存在这种现象的原因。     

LOVA发射药点火燃烧性能

制备了含有两种不同黏结剂的低易损性发射药(即LOVA发射药),并应用点火燃烧模拟装置与密闭爆发器对其点火燃烧性能进行了研究。结果表明,LOVA发射药难点火,但在点火药中添加高氯酸铵后可有效改善LOVA发射药的点火性能。LOVA发射药燃烧具有燃速系数低、燃速压力指数高等特点。