Abstract
The safe storage time for double base propellant (DBP or DB propellant) with stabilizers could usually be calculated to be greater than 40 years. However, the actual service life is far below that, which is largely caused by the decline of propellant mechanical performance. In this work polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was introduced into the double base propellant formula as an additive. The tensile properties of this propellant before and after artificial aging were determined. The evaporation and diffusion characteristics of nitroglycerin (NG) in propellant were evaluated by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). The results showed that mechanical properties of propellant were improved due to PTFE, especially for elongation at −40 °C, which was greatly increased by 115%. Moreover, the results of TGA showed that NG migration was reduced due to PTFE, which delayed the decline of propellant mechanical performance during aging. The reduction in elongation at −40 °C caused by aging was decreased by 68.5% for PTFE modified DBP. Enhanced mechanical properties and reduced NG migration could potentially prolong propellant service life.
Highlights
Double base (DB) propellant has been widely applied to solid rocket motors due to its various advantages, such as being smokeless, having abundant raw material sources, and so on [1,2].Nitrocellulose (NC) and nitroglycerin (NG) are the two basic components of DB propellants.For meeting the practical demands in rocket motors, DB propellants with different performances are produced by varying the mass ratio of NC/NG
Trache et al [6,7,8] studied the impact of aging on chemical and mechanical properties of DB propellants with diphenylcarbamide stabilizer and made a good summarization on the stabilizers
The non-isothermal property of DB propellant and PTFE-DB propellant was investigated by thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA) (METTLER TOLEDO, thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) STARe System, Zurich, Switzerland) at the heating rate of 10 K/min from 30 ◦ C to 600 ◦ C
Summary
Shixiong Sun 1 , Song Ma 1 , Benbo Zhao 1 , Guangpu Zhang 1 and Yunjun Luo 1,2, *. Key Laboratory for Ministry of Education of High Energy Density Materials, Beijing 100081, China. Received: 16 October 2018; Accepted: 9 November 2018; Published: 10 November 2018
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