Experimental and Numerical Characterization of Polymer Nanocomposites for Solid Rocket Motor Internal Insulation
Abstract
The objective of this research is to develop a modeling framework for simulating the insulative behavior of thermoplastic Polyurethane elastomer nanocomposites (TPUNs) for solid rocket motors (SRMs) and the creation of software capable of predicting the properties of these TPUNs. This research combines numerical modeling and experimental characterization of TPUNs for SRM insulation. The TPUN thermophyscial properties and kinetic parameters will be characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, Multi-Function Sensor (MFS), and other thermal analyses. Numerical techniques for small scale physics from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations through population balance methods will be used to gain insight and intuition on the interactions between the polymeric and inorganic materials. These insights will help us to develop macroscopic kinetic models/descriptions in macroscale continuum models. These models will be first exercised against thermogravimetric and the MFS data, then small scale experiments using the LHMEL facility, and mesoscale experiments using AFRL Pi-K and Bates SRM firings. We formulated a simple non-charring ablation model, and then used it to perform a sensitivity analysis of failure time to four thermophysical properties. We found that failure time is most sensitive to the density and the heat of ablation, and is relatively insensitive to the thermal conductivity of the material. We reviewed numerical modeling of thermal protection materials literature, processed selective TPUNs, and calibrated a radiant heat apparatus to test TPUNs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA589776
Entities
People
- J. H. Koo
- O. D. Ezekoye
Organizations
- University of Texas at Austin