Mechanism of Catalytic Effects on AMMO/HMX Composite Propellants Combustion Rates

Thermal decomposition and the burning properties of AMMO/HMX propellants have been investigated. The heat generated by the AMMO decomposition initiated and accelerated the thermal decomposition of HMX, and the reaction between decomposed AMMO and HMX depended upon the heating rate. The rate determining step of the reaction path was different in higher and lower heating rate conditions. 2,2-bis(ethylferrocenyl)propane (CFe) and copper chromite (CuC) significantly altered the mechanisms of the thermal decomposition and the burning properties. CFe showed an increase in burning rate with a slight increase in burning rate exponent. However, CuC yielded high values for the burning rate exponent. The combined additive yielded the highest burning rate with the lowest burning rate exponent. The influence of CuC on the burning rate exponent disappeared by the combination with CFe. Though CFe and the combination additive improved the ignitability of the propellants, the propellant with CuC was difficult to ignite because of the relatively small quantity of heat feedback and/or heat released by the decomposition.     

Burning Rate Augmentation of BAMO Based Propellants

Thermal decomposition and the burning properties of BAMO based propellants with HMX or AN/HMX have been investigated. The heat generated by the azide binder decomposition initiated and accelerated the thermal decomposition of HMX and AN. Ammonium perchlorate (AP) and lead stearate with carbon black significantly altered the mechanisms of the thermal decomposition and the burning properties of the HMX based propellants. AP showed an increase in burning rate with a slight decrease in burning rate pressure exponent. The lead catalyst yielded high value of the burning rate with the lowest pressure exponent. The ammonium dichromate also influenced the mechanisms of the thermal decomposition and the burning properties of the AN/HMX samples. The combination of ammonium dichromate and copper chromite was the most effective on the burning rate augmentation of AN/HMX based propellants. AN sublimed and evaporated from the condensed phase and mainly reacted exothermically in the gas phase HMX and AN/HMX based propellants showed smokeless burning characteristics in the small rocket motor combustion tests.     

Am1 MO Study of Benzene Nitro Derivatives

Molecular properties of benzene nitro derivatives were investigated by using semi-empirical MO calculations. As the results, the molecular structures and the rotational barrier of the nitro group calculated by AM1 showed a good agreement with the experimental values. The heats of formation in gaseous and condensed phases were obtained by considering isodesmic reactions. By this procedure, the heat of formation of hexanitrobenzene in solid phase was calculated to be +22.7 kcal/mol. The detonation parameters were also calculated by using four equations of state. The predicted detonation velocities showed a good agreement with the experimental values.     

Micromechanical Investigation of the Fatigue Crack Propagation and Damage Development in Al/Al2O3/SiC Hybrid Metal Matrix Composite

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - In this study, the micro-mechanisms involved in fatigue crack propagation are investigated qualitatively in a Al/Al2O3/SiC hybrid metal matrix composite...     

Modifying ability of Ql-free coal-tar pitch to develop optical anisotropy in co-carbonizations

Carbonization properties of a Ql-free coal-tar pitch (CTP-ASM) prepared by selective precipitation were studied to evaluate it as a source for needle-coke. Its modifying ability for production of needlecoke in co-carbonizations with principal carbonizing substances which gave cokes of mozaic texture in single carbonizations was estimated by changing mixing ratios. The shape and size of the anisotropic optical texture in the co-carbonized coke were measured by point counting. CTP-ASM and Ashland A240, of eight additives, had the highest modifying ability in the co-carbonizations with Khafji vacuum residue. Both contained ca. 6% benzene-insolubles (Bl), and had f_a values of ≈0.9. Other additives of either lower or higher Bl or f_a showed less modifying ability. The modifying susceptibility of principal carbonizing substances varies with their structure and properties. Based on a systematic investigation of co-carbonizations the compatibility between a principal carbonizing substance and an additive is discussed from a viewpoint of their structural parameters.     

Synthesis of High‐Purity Ti3SiC2 by Microwave Sintering

High‐purity ternary laminated compound Ti₃SiC₂ was successfully synthesized by a microwave heating method in the flowing argon for the first time. The mixtures of titanium, silicon, and graphitic carbon (C_gc) or activated carbon (C_ac) with different molar ratios were used to investigate the reaction mechanisms. It was confirmed that Ti₃SiC₂ with high purity of 98 vol.% was achieved without the aids of Al. The optimum experimental parameters were determined as Ti/Si/C_gc having the molar ratio of 3/2.2/2, first holding at 1480°C for 30 min, and subsequent dwelling at 1300°C for 60 min.     

Effect of the addition of silver compounds during the pyrolysis of manganese nitrate on tantalum anodic oxide film

A study of the pyrolysis of an aqueous solution of manganese nitrate in the presence of silver compounds has been carried out. Thermal analysis showed that the MnO₂ formation temperature and the transformation temperature from MnO₂ to Mn₂O₃ shifted towards a lower temperature in the presence of silver acetate. A large particle-size and high crystallinity MnO₂ was formed; this may be a useful method of making an excellent tantalum capacitor with high capacitance.     

Cycle characterizations of LiMxMn2−xO4 (M=Co, Ni) materials for lithium secondary battery at wide voltage region

LiM_xMn_2−xO₄ (M=Co, Ni) materials have been synthesized by a melt-impregnation method using γ-MnOOH as the manganese source. Highly crystallized LiM_xMn_2−xO₄ compounds were synthesized at a calcination temperature of 800°C for 24 h in air. All compounds show a single phase except for LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ based on the X-ray diffraction (XRD) diagram. With the increase of the doping content from 0.1 to 0.5, the capacity of doping materials decreases mainly in the 4 V region.

Although LiM_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ (M=Co, Ni) compound shows a small capacity in the (3+4) V region compared with parent LiMn₂O₄, it is a very effective material in reducing capacity loss in the 3 V region that is caused by the Jahn–Teller distortion. The doping of Co and Ni ions in the LiMn₂O₄ cathode material promotes the stability of this structure and provides an excellent cyclability.     

Simulation study of electrical dynamic characteristics of lithium-ion battery

The electrical dynamic characteristics of a lithium-ion battery have been simulated by an equivalent circuit, which is derived from the measured impedance. The transient voltage response to the various kinds of applied current waves such as single pulse, single rectangular, triangle, and sawtooth waves is experimentally examined and calculated by using the numerical Laplace transform with the equivalent circuit. The experimental and calculated results are compared and discussed, focusing on the range of current where the linear relationship is valid. Changing the time range, the state of charge (SOC) and the battery temperature as parameters, their influence on the linear range of the applied current has been investigated.     

Thermal performance of a packed bed reactor for a high‐temperature chemical heat pump

The thermal performance of a chemical heat pump that uses the reaction system of calcium oxide/lead oxide/carbon dioxide, which is developed for utilization of high‐temperature heat above 800°C, is studied experimentally. The thermal performance of a packed‐bed reactor of a calcium oxide/carbon dioxide reaction system, which stores and transforms a high‐temperature heat source in the heat pump operation, is examined under various heat pump operation conditions. The energy analysis based on the experiment shows that it is possible to utilize high‐temperature heat with this heat pump. This heat pump can store heat above 850°C and then transform it into a heat above 900°C under an approximate atmospheric pressure. An applied system that combines the heat pump and a high‐temperature process is proposed for high‐efficiency heat utilization. The scale of the heat pump in the combined system is estimated from the experimental results. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.