Propellant composition

Triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN) is an explosive plasticizer of low sensitivity that has been used in some nitroceUulose-base propellant compositions, often in combination with metriol trinitrate. Butanetriol trinitrate has been used occasionally as an explosive plasticizer coolant in propellants. Its physical properties are Hsted in Table 7. 

The Beckstead-Derr-Price model (Fig. 1) considers both the gas-phase and condensed-phase reactions. It assumes heat release from the condensed phase, an oxidizer flame, a primary diffusion flame between the fuel and oxidizer decomposition products, and a final diffusion flame between the fuel decomposition products and the products of the oxidizer flame. Examination of the physical phenomena reveals an irregular surface on top of the unheated bulk of the propellant that consists of the binder undergoing pyrolysis, decomposing oxidizer particles, and an agglomeration of metallic particles. The oxidizer and fuel decomposition products mix and react exothermically in the three-dimensional zone above the surface for a distance that depends on the propellant composition, its microstmcture, and the ambient pressure and gas velocity. If aluminum is present, additional heat is subsequently produced at a comparatively large distance from the surface. Only small aluminum particles ignite and bum close enough to the surface to influence the propellant bum rate. The temperature of the surface is ca 500 to 1000°C compared to ca 300°C for double-base propellants. 

Polyhedral Boron Hydrides. These are used in neutron capture therapy of cancers (254), and as bum rate modifiers (accelerants) in gun and rocket propellant compositions. 

A Small but important daSS of fOi mUlatiOnS comprises the Composite Solid Rocket Propellants. Composites typically contain a major amount of an oxidizer such as AP or HMX, a metal powder such as Al, a binder which is one or another type of rubber (or double-base), and up to a dozen trace ingredients such as catalysts, stabilizers, etc. There are literally hundreds of formulations, all to a degree similar and the choice comes down to specific missions, economics, and special requirements Loading of End Items. The blends and formulations described above may be loaded into their hardware in the plant where they are made, or they may be shipped to another plant for Load/... 

Component Control Propellant Composition F Modified Propellants Composition G Composition H ... 

Component Control Propellant Composition A Modified Propellant Composition B... 

Fig. 24 Critical depressurization Tate for various propellant compositions (Cl, P5).

When one considers the potential high-energy release on rupture of a carborane unit, together with the thermodynamic stability of combustion products, it is hardly surprising that there is a body of literature that reports on the use of carbo-ranes within propellant compositions. Their use in energetic applications is to be expected when the enthalpy of formation (AH/) data for the products of combustion for boron are compared to those of carbon. Thermodynamic data for the enthalpy of formation of o-carborane and of typical boron and carbon combustion products is shown in Table 4. Measurements of the standard enthalpy of combustion32 for crystalline samples of ortho-carborane show that complete combustion is a highly exothermic reaction, AH = — 8994 KJmol. ... 

H0 can be calculated from the propellant composition, but He must be obtained by successive approximation, assuming that the final state of the exhaust gases is known. For present purposes, it is sufficient to note that H0 — He correlates well with the heat of explosion of the solid explosive. In order to obtain the maximum thrust from a rocket it is therefore necessary to achieve the highest combustion temperature, but also necessary to produce gases with the lowest mean molecular weight. 

Composite propellants, 10 737. See also Composite rocket propellants Composite refractories, 21 483 Composite reinforcements, 5 554-557 integrity, 5 577-578 Composite rocket propellants, 10 726 Composites... 

M28 propellant/Composition B-4 (86/14 weight-percent ratio, based on amounts in an M55 rocket)... 

A practical application of dinitrogen pentoxide in methylene chloride reagent involves the nitration of either ammonium carbamate or nitrourethane, followed by ammonolysis to yield ammonium dinitramide, an energetic oxidizer with enormous potential for use in future high performance propellant compositions. This important reaction is discussed in more detail in Chapter 9. 

Tetranitrohexahydropyrimidine (DNNC) (94) has been synthesized from the nitrolysis of the A(iV -di-fert-butylpyrimidine (93). Levins and co-workers reported the synthesis of DNNC (94) from the nitrolysis of the analogous A. V -di-wo-propylpyrimidine (92). DNNC is a high performance explosive with a detonation velocity of 8730 m/s, impact sensitivity lower than RDX and a very favourable oxygen balance. DNNC has been suggested " for use as an oxidizer in propellant compositions. This is also considered as an excellent oxidant for pyrotechnic compositions. ... 

Energetic plasticizers and binders for explosive and propellant compositions... 

Table 6.3 Propellant compositions % by mass) and physicochemical properties.

A typical propellant composition in relation to the above was given as potassium perchlorate (72%), copper(II) oxide, burn rate enhancer (1.4%), potassium benzoate, fuel (10.9%), charcoal, fuel (5.4%) and epoxy resin (9.6%). 

Cellulose nitrate (10.5) is a common component of propellant compositions because the fuel and oxygen are combined within the same molecule, whereas guanidine nitrate (10.6) is rich in nitrogen and is an efficient gas producer. 

Misch metal, an alloy of cerium with other lanthanides is a pyrophoric substance and is used to make gas lighters and ignition devices. Some other applications of the metal or its alloys are in solid state devices rocket propellant compositions as getter in vacuum tubes and as a diluent for plutonium in nuclear fuel. 

---