Solventless Manufacture of Artillery Propellant Using Thermoplastic Elastomer Binder, PP-867

Abstract

Multi-base gun propellant for artillery ammunition creates 0.3 lb of solvent emissions per lb of propellant, and at expected production rates of 3 million lb/yr, this represents the largest source of VOC emissions due to gun propellant production. New thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) binders are available which should make it possible to develop and manufacture gun propellants that are producible without solvent emissions. These binders may be useable in a variety of other energetic material applications, including rocket propellants, explosives and pyrotechnics. In addition to solvent reduction or elimination, TPE binders may permit recovery and recycling of propellant ingredients for additional pollution prevention. To date, these TPEs have not been qualified for use in military ordnance systems, largely due to the perceived risk of using novel materials and manufacturing processes.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1999
Accession Number
ADA379638

Entities

People

  • Thomas Stephens

Organizations

  • Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ammunition
  • Artillery
  • Artillery Ammunition
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Elastomers
  • Energetic Materials
  • Gun Propellants
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Munitions
  • Propellants
  • Rocket Propellants
  • Volatile Organic Compounds

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Industrial Economics
  • Rocket Propulsion.