New Oxidizers for Solid Rocket Motors

Solid propellants of essentially all solid rocket boosters are based on a mixture of aluminum (Al, fuel) and ammonium perchlorate (AP, oxidizer). 

The currently most promising chlorine-free oxidizers which are being researched at present are ammonium dinitramide (ADN), which was first developed in Russia (Nikolaj Latypov) and is being commercialized today by EURENCO, as well as the nitroformate salts hydrazinium nitroformate (HNF, APP, Netherlands) and triaminoguanidinium nitroformate (Germany) (Fig. 1.19) [8]. The salt hydroxyl ammonium nitrate, HO—NH3 NO3 (HAN) is also of interest. However, all four compounds possess relatively low decomposition temperatures and TAGNF only has a positive oxygen balance with respect to CO (not to CO2). 

Alternatively, ammonium nitrate (AN, 42co2 20.0%, begins decomposition at m.p. = 169.9 °C, complete decomposition at 210 °C) has been discussed, however 

Another recently suggested organic oxidizer is TNC-NO2 which has an oxygen balance of Qcoi = 14.9% and a thermal stability of up to 153 °C. TNC-NO2 can be synthesized by direct nitration of TNC (2,2,2-trinitroethyl carbamate) using mixed acid  

The further new nitroethyl compounds based on boron esters are tris-(2-nitro-ethyl) borate and tris-(2,2,2-trinitroethyl) borate. Especially the trinitroethyl derivative is a suitable candidate for high energy density oxidizers and for smoke-free, green coloring agents in pyrotechnic compositions. Tris-(2-nitroethyl) borate and tris-(2,2,2-trinitroethyl) borate can be obtained from boron oxide with 2-nitroetha-nol and 2,2,2-trinitroethanol, respectively  

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