Title: Effect of carbon nanotube on the thermal decomposition characteristics of selected propellant binders and oxidisers

Authors: S. Reshmi; Korah Bina Catherine; C.P. Reghunadhan Nair

Addresses: Department Propellants, Polymers and Special Chemicals Group, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram 695022, Kerala, India. ' Department Propellants, Polymers and Special Chemicals Group, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram 695022, Kerala, India. ' Department Propellants, Polymers and Special Chemicals Group, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram 695022, Kerala, India

Abstract: The effect of carbon nanotube (CNT) on the thermal decomposition behaviour of polymeric binders viz., hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) as well as oxidisers namely ammonium perchlorate (AP) and phase stabilised ammonium nitrate (PSAN) was investigated using simultaneous TG-DSC. The results indicate that addition of CNT to AP, lowered the thermal decomposition of AP but CNT addition to HTPB, increased the thermal stability of HTPB. The thermal decomposition characteristics of PSAN and GAP were not influenced by CNT. Ignition delay studies were carried out in a tube furnace using HTPB-AP propellant systems. CNT reduced the ignition delay of a propellant based on HTPB with AP oxidiser. The observed phenomena were explained based on the likely reaction of CNT with the compounds formed at high reaction temperatures.

Keywords: thermal decomposition; ignition delay; carbon nanotubes; CNT; AP; hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene; HTPB; glycidyl azide polymer; GAP; phase stabilised ammonium nitrate; PSAN; nanotechnology; propellant binders; oxidisers; polymeric binders.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2011.044441

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2011 Vol.8 No.10/11/12, pp.979 - 987

Published online: 24 Dec 2011 *

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