Performance of advanced composite solid rocket propellants based on novel oxidizers

Three novel high energy dense oxidizers (HEDO), Bis(2,2,2-trinitroethyl)oxalate (BTNEOx), 2,2,2-Trinitroethyl-nitrocarbamate (TNENC), 2,2,2-Trinitroethyl-formate (TNEF) have been prepared and studied as oxidizers in composite solid rocket propellants (CSRPs). For comparison, traditional CSRP containing ammonium perchlorate (AP) bonded by hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binder system was studied. The optimum oxidizer percentage with respect to the specific impulse was determined using the thermodynamic code (EXPLO5_V6.03). In addition, the optimum oxidizer mixture based on the novel oxidizers with AP was studied. The combustion properties and gaseous products of the optimum propellant compositions were calculated. A selected composition was prepared in the lab. scale and the burning rate was measured by the strand burner method. It was concluded that TNEF based propellant possess the maximum specific impulse of all the studied compositions. In addition, TNEF based propellant has a higher burning rate than the traditional CSRP composition. (paper)