| Abstract: | 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. |
