Abstract
In this study, nano-CuO prepared via mechanical grinding was applied to ammonium perchlorate (NH4ClO4, AP)/hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant. The catalytic effect of nano-CuO was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetric techniques. The combustion behaviour of the AP/HTPB propellant was measured at atmospheric pressure using the strand burner method. In comparison with that of the blank propellant, the high-temperature decomposition peak of nano-CuO-AP/HTPB shifted from 661 to 630 K, the propellant’s apparent decomposition heat increased from 1251 to 2313 J･g-1, and the Gibbs free energy of the propellant decreased from 184.2 to 174.8 kJ･mol -1. Simultaneously, the combustion rate of the propellant at atmospheric pressure increased by approximately 20.8 % from 1.25 to 1.51 mm･s -1, and its combustion intensity was remarkably enhanced in the presence of nano-CuO. Experiment results demonstrate that the catalytic activity of nano-CuO on the AP/HTPB propellant is superior to that of bulk CuO, which can be attributed to its high catalytic activity resulting from its small size and large specific surface area.
