Some Problems in the Rheological Characterisation of Composite Rocket Propellants

Abstract

Apparent viscosities of a composite propellant analogue were measured with both rotary and extrusion instruments. A Haake Viscometer in the Couette configuration was used with 2 gap widths and also with a profiled cup and rotor. An extrusion rheometer was fitted with a slit die and measurements were made at 2 slit thicknesses. The flow was found to be time dependent, and there was apparent slip at the wall. It is suggested that the cause of this behaviour is filler particle migration in the non-uniform stress fields. The filler migration is assumed to cause a layer of binder to develop at the walls confining the flow, and this layer would lubricate the flow of the bulk of the material causing an apparent slip. The effect of the slip is to reduce the apparent viscosity of the material, which also appears to be affected by ageing of the samples under ambient conditions for several days. Particle sizes of the solid ingredients were also measured. Particle size, Viscosity, Rheology of energetic materials, Flow curves.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA268806

Entities

People

  • R. C. Warren

Organizations

  • Defence Science and Technology Group

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Composite Materials
  • Composite Propellants
  • Energetic Materials
  • Geometry
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Particle Size
  • Propellants
  • Rheology
  • Rheometers
  • Shear Stresses
  • Thickness
  • Viscometers

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Polymer Science and Engineering.
  • Rocket Propulsion.