Burn rate measurements of HMX, TATB, DHT, DAAF, and BTATz

Abstract

Abstract : In this paper we present new burn rate results for several energetic materials. The burn rates of octahydro- 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), HMX and estane-based binder (PBX 9501), 1,3,5-triamino- 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB), and TATB and KelF binder (PBX 9502), are reported and compared with existing data. Burn rate data of these common explosives complement and extend existing data sets. Burn rate data of three novel high-nitrogen materials are presented in this work. Specifically, the high-nitrogen monopropellants considered are 3,6-dihydrazino-s-tetrazine (DHT), 4,4'-diamino-3,3' -azoxyfurazan (DAAF), and 3,6-bis(1H-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-5-amino)-s-tetrazine (BTATz). High-nitrogen compounds may be key to meeting the advanced performance objectives of next-generation solid propellants. High-nitrogen solids offer the possibility of high performance, reduced emissions, and lower plume signature (low temperature and no HCl) than current propellant systems. The theoretical specific impulse is comparable to HMX. In contrast to HMX, however, high-nitrogen materials tend to be insensitive to impact. Because high-nitrogen energetic materials have intrinsically large positive heats of formation and produce low-molecular-weight reaction products, they may be suitable for consideration in high-performance propellant applications. BTATz appears particularly interesting because of its rapid burn rate, relatively low-pressure exponent, and high heat of formation. The effect of a small amount of binder is investigated for all but one of these materials.