Preparation of MXene-type C-TiO2 nanocatalysts for enhancing the combustion performance of AP/HTPB propellants

Abstract

With the vigorous development of aerospace technology and the continuous improvement of the mobility of solid rockets, the combustion performance, especially the combustion rate, of AP-based propellants as power source of solid rockets has also been constantly improved. Due to the influence of AP thermal decomposition performance on the combustion rate of AP-based propellants, it has become necessary to develop new catalysts for AP thermal decomposition. A novel MXene-type C-TiO2 (M-TiO) nanomaterial has been successfully prepared by regulating the oxidation degree of MXene. Modern characterization technologies were used to investigate M-TiO nanomaterials. The analysis results indicated that M-TiO-2 nanomaterial exhibited the MXene-type C-TiO2 structure with large BET-SSA (126.8 m2/g). The catalytic experiments showed that HD temperature of AP with 2.0 wt% M-TiO-2 could be reduced by 68.2 °C and heat release was increased by about four times. The Ea of AP with M-TiO-2 (2.0 wt%) was significantly reduced by 54.5%. As for the combustibility of AP/HTPB propellant, M-TiO-2 (2.0 wt%) reduced ignition delay by 72.2% and enhanced combustion rate by 2.0 times. The reasons why M-TiO-2 improved the thermal decomposition performance of AP and the combustion performance of AP/HTPB propellant were the synergistic effect of catalysis and combustion support provided by the MXene-type C-TiO2 structure of M-TiO-2.