Eliminating Lead, RDX, and AP in a Castable, EMMS-Configured Propellant While Maintaining Performance

Abstract

The objective of WP 2143 was to develop a new environmentally benign, insensitive, castable, high-performance, minimum smoke rocket propellant formulation. The new formulation approached all of the performance requirements associated with the current minimum smoke, double-based propellant. It did not contain lead, ammonium perchlorate orcyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX). It also demonstrated a reduction in toxicity compared to existing propellants and meet insensitive munition (IM) requirements. This effort met the Statement of Need in a twofold fashion: First, an innovative tactical grain configuration, Exponent Modified Minimum Smoke (EMMS), was used to eliminate the need for lead catalysts, and second, advanced energetic ingredients were incorporated into this grain design to provide performance levels meeting current minimum smoke double-base propellants, insensitivity to meet IM requirements, and a reduction in toxicity compared to existing propellant ingredients.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 22, 2019
Accession Number
AD1135577

Entities

People

  • Bradley Sleadd

Organizations

  • Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ammonium Perchlorate
  • Chemical Properties
  • Chemistry
  • Double Base Propellants
  • Energetic Materials
  • Environment
  • Environmental Health
  • Environmental Protection
  • Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Insensitive Explosives
  • Liquid Chromatography
  • Liquid Explosives
  • Material Degradation Processes
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Materials Testing
  • Propellants
  • Public Health
  • Rdx
  • Rocket Engines
  • Toxicity

Readers

  • Rocket Propulsion.
  • Systems Analysis and Design