Research on the combustion properties of propellants with low content of nano metal powders

A comparison of various experimental results for combustion-related properties evaluation, including burning rates, deflagration heat. flame structures and thermal decomposition properties, of AP/RDX/Al/HTPB composite propellants containing nano metal powders is presented. The thermal behavior of n-Al (nano grain size aluminum) and g-Al (general grain size aluminum i.e., 10 mu m) heated in air was also investigated by thermogravimetry. The burning rates results indicate that the usage of bimodal aluminum distribution with the ratio around 4: 1 of n-Al to g-Al or the addition of 2% nano nickel powders (n-Ni) will improve the burning behavior of the propellant, while the usage of grading aluminum powders with the ratio 1: 1 of n-Al to g-Al will impair the combustion of the propellant. Results show that n-Al and n-Ni both have a lower heating capacity, lower ignition threshold and shorter combustion time than g-Al. In addition n-Al is inclined to burn in single particle form. And the thermal analysis results show that n-Ni can catalyze the thermal decomposition of AP in the propellant. The results also confirm the high reactivity of n-Al, which will lead to a lower reaction temperature and rather higher degree of reaction ratio as compared with g-Al in air. All these factors will influence the combustion of propellants.