Typical Single-Base Solid Propellants

Solid propellants may be classified as monopropellants or composite propellants. Monopropellants are substances in which the fuel and oxidizer are both contained within the same molecule or at least in a single phase. These materials may either burn slowly at subsonic rates or may decompose rapidly in detonation. Depending on the use to which this type of material is put, it may be classified either as propellant or high explosive. In general, useful monopropellants are difficult to detonate. The typical example of a monopropellant is the so-called double-base propellant. This substance consists of nitrocellulose which has been colloidized by nitroglycerine along with various minor constituents which have been added to... 

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