BTATz–HNIW–CMDB propellants

Abstract

The high nitrogen compound 3,6-bis(1H-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-5-yl-amino)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine and the high energy density material hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW), were used as substitute of hexogen (RDX) in the composite modified double base (CMDB) propellant formulations, the propellant samples were prepared, the thermal behaviors, nonisothermal reaction kinetics, and thermal safety were carried out, and the eight important parameters were calculated and obtained as the self-accelerating decomposition temperature (T SADT), thermal ignition temperature (T TIT), critical temperatures of thermal explosion (T b), critical temperature of hot-spot initiation (T cr,hot-spot), characteristic drop height of impact sensitivity (H 50), critical thermal explosion ambient temperature (T acr), safety degree (S d), and thermal explosion probability (P TE). It shows that the content of HNIW has a large effect on the decomposition reaction mechanism of the CMDB propellant, when the content of HNIW is 10 %, the decomposition reaction are controlled by the random nucleation and subsequent growth (n = l), and the reaction mechanism obeys Mampel law; but when the content of HNIW is 20 %, the decomposition reaction are controlled by the chemical reaction (n = 1/4). The mechanism can not be changed by the catalysts, and they just make the apparent activation energy change slightly. For the sample, from BC01 to BC04, the values of T SADT and T TIT making an upward tendency, show the resistivity to heat: BC04 > BC03 > BC02 > BC01; the values of T acr and S d, BC01 are the maximum and BC02 are the minimum, show the heat sensitivity: BC01 > BC03 > BC04 > BC02. For the same radius, the thermal safety of the sphere sample is greater than that of the infinite cylinder one.