Nitro-Azide Propellants

The burning rates of a nitro-azide propellant composed of NC, NG, and GAP are shown in Fig. 6.19. For comparison, the burning rates of a double-base propellant composed of NC, NG, and DEP are shown in Fig. 6.20. The chemical compositions of both propellants are shown in Table 6.6. The adiabatic flame temperature is increased from 2560 K to 2960 K and the specific impulse is increased from 237 s to 253 s when 12.5% of DEP is replaced with the same amount of GAP. 

Nakashita, G., and Kubota, N Energetics of Nitro/Azide Propellants, Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics, Vol. 16, 1991, pp. 171-181. 

Double-base propellants containing azide polymers are termed nitro-azide propellants. DEP used as a plasticizer in double-base propellants is replaced with azide polymers in order to increase the energy density. The compatibility of GAP prepolymer with NG is suitable for desensitizing the mechanical sensitivity of NG and gives superior mechanical properties of the rocket propellant grains formed. 

The burning rate of nitro-azide propellants composed of NC, NG, and GAP is shown in Fig. 6-18. As a comparison, the burning rate of double-base propellants... 

Fig. 6.19 Burning rates of a nitro-azide (NC-NG-GAP) propellant at different initial propellant temperatures, showing high temperature sensitivity.

Typical crystalline materials used as oxidizers are perchlorates, nitrates, nitro compounds, nitramines, and metal azides. The polymeric materials used as fuel components are divided into nitrate esters, inert polymers, and azide polymers. Optimized combinations of these oxidizer and fuel components yield the desired ballistic characteristics of propellants or explosives. 

CHAPTER 5 THE PREPARATION OF AZIDES AND AZO NITROS intent to sell, consult any protected commercial or industrial processes related to, similar to, or additional to, the process discussed in this procedure. This process may be used to legally prepare the mentioned propellant composition for laboratory, educational, or research purposes. 

DNAN forms colorless crystals with a melting point of 120 Celsius. It is fairly soluble in hot water, hot ethanol, methanol, and acetone. It is less soluble in cold water, cold ethanol, and insoluble in chloroform, benzene, ether, and petroleum ether. DNAN is somewhat hygroscopic, and moisture slowly decomposes it—should be stored in a desiccator. A small sample bums leaving a residue of carbon when ignited—a small sample can be detonated by the blow of a hammer. DNAN can be used in explosive compositions when alloyed with TNT, or other low melting secondary explosives, gun propellants with nitrocellulose, nitro starch, or nitroglycerine, and rocket propellants when mixed with ammonium perchlorate. DNAN also demonstrates usefulness for priming mixtures with lead azide, lead styphnate, or diazodinitrophenol, and for use in fireworks. ... 

Nitro paraffin (explosives) binder Methyl vinyl Refractory mold (silicates) binder Methyl vinyl Azide and hydrazine binders— Ethyl vinyl rocket propellent binder... 

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