Propellants Explosives Pyrotechnics, Vol.39, No.3, 329-336, 2014
Effects of Different Nano-Metric Particles on the Properties of Composite Solid Propellants
Several industrial-and research-type composite solid propellants containing different nano-metric metal particles (such as aluminum, zirconium and titanium) with similar nominal composition, were prepared and experimentally analyzed. The effects of different nano-metric powders on the rheological properties for metal/HTPB slurries and AP-based composite propellant slurries were investigated. The strand burning rate and the associated combustion flame structure of propellants were determined. The energetic properties and the hazardous properties of propellants prepared were analyzed and the properties mentioned above were compared to those of a conventional aluminized propellant. The results show that aluminum powder can be sufficiently dispersed in HTPB binder. The propellant formulations containing nano-metric particles are sensitive to impact and friction except for the base propellant with common aluminum powder, which is less sensitive to friction as compared to the other compositions. The nano-metric additives can affect the combustion behavior and increase the burning rate of propellants compared with the common one (the reference propellant composition).
Keywords:Material chemistry;Composite solid propellants;Nano-metric particles;Hazardous properties;Combustion characteristics