Kathmandu University

Submitted by : Pawan sharma Submitted to : Pawan Karki

Roll no : 26 Department of Mechanical Engineering
Group : Hydro

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 A propellant is a chemical substance used in the production of energy or pressurized gas that is subsequently used to create
movement of a fluid or to generate propulsion of a vehicle, projectile, or other object.

 Solid propellants are widely used in gun and rocket propulsion applications. They are very energetic and produce high
temperature gaseous products on combustion. The energy produced by a unit volume of a propellant is called its energy
density.[1]

Figure.1 Solid propellant

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Table 1 Ingredient, function, formula and % per mass of solid propellant

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 Oxidizers are principle ingredients, which produce the high energy on combustion. One of the most commonly used
oxidizers is ammonium perchlorate (AP).

 Solid oxidizers provide oxygen needed to burn solid rocket motor fuel. By carrying fuel and oxidizer together, the rocket
does not depend on the atmosphere for oxygen. Nitro-amines are not oxidizer, but high explosives added to propellants to
increase their performance.

 Ammonium Perchlorate is supplied in the form of small white crystals. Particle size and shape influences the manufacturing
process and the propellant burning rate.[2]

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 Metal fuels such as aluminum and boron are frequently added to propellant mixtures. Aluminum, one of the widely used
metal additives, is used in the form of small spherical particles (5–60 μm) in a wide variety of solid propellants. Aluminum
particles usually comprise 14–20% of the propellant weight.[3]

Figure 3.Microstructure of aluminum

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 Binders provide structurally a matrix in which solid granular ingredients are held together in a composite propellant.

 Commonly used binders are Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene , and Nitro Cellulose.

 Sometimes Glycidyl azide polymer is also used as energetic binder, which increases the energy density and performance of the
propellant. [3]

Figure.6 Micro structure of HTPB

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 A curing agent causes the prepolymers to form longer chains of larger molecular mass and interlocks between chains.

 Curing agents are also referred to as crosslinkers.

 They solidify and harden the binder.

 Hexamethylene diiscocyanate, Toulenediiscocyanate, and sophorone diisocyanate are some examples of curing agents.[3]

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 Figure.4 Flame temperature of AP/HTPB propellant for different AP percentages

The burning rate of composite solid propellant is dependent on the particle size of the AP crystals. Propellants with smaller AP
particle size will have a higher burning rate, where larger AP will result in a slower burning rate.[4]

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 High performance or high specific impulse; really this means high gas temperature and/or low molecular mass.

 Predictable, reproducible, and initially adjustable burning rate to fit the need of the grain design and the thrust-time
requirement.

 For minimum variation in thrust or chamber pressure, the pressure or burning rate exponent and the temperature coefficient
should be small.

 Good aging characteristics and long life.

 High density (allows a small-volume motor).[5]

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 [1] King Saud University, Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. “Arabian Journal of Chemistry Volume 12”, Issue 8,
December 2019.

 [2] George P. Sutton, Oscar Biblarz, John wiley & Sons, Rocket propulsion Elements, 7th Edition in 2010

 [3] Chaturvedi, S., Dave, P.N., 2011, “A Review on the Use of Nanometals as Catalysts for the Thermal Decomposition of
Ammonium Perchlorate” J. of Saudia Chemical.

 [4] Kreitz, Kevin R, “Catalytic nanoparticle additives in the combustion of AP/HTBP composite solid propellant a thesis”
2012.

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