Dynamic Gas Generation Through Microporous Nitramines
Abstract
burn regime of the propellant as the burn front progresses. When the propellant is ignited, the perforations increase the surface area of the burn front, consequently increasing its gas generation rate, and therefore allowing for control over the thrust generated as a function of time. Recently, spray drying has been used to modify the morphology of nitramines such as HMX, generating microspheres, originally, this method was employed with the goal of impregnating various compounds in the interstitial space within the microsphere. A byproduct of this and other spray drying processes is a micron scale porous energetic particle, referred to as microporous nitramines. We hypothesize that the gas generation rate of propellants can be dynamically modified by utilizing the porosity within the spray dried nitramine, potentially generating a class of propellants that no longer require reduced space utilization to achieve the improved performance, formerly realized by perforations, in solid composite propellants. By implementing advanced manufacturing technologies, and in particular direct ink writing techniques, to manufacture novel types of propellants we postulate that these new propellants will have the potential of generating variable thrust vectors capable of increasing, sustaining, or decreasing projectile velocity at different stages of flight depending on operational requirements. Utilizing modern manufacturing techniques already in use by our research group, samples will be manufactured and characterized in the same laboratory, allowing for rapid development of novel energetic formulations. Initial samples containing conventional HMX and microporous HMX will be produced and characterized via closed bomb gas generation, strand burn, and slab rocket motor studies
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 20, 2025
- Source ID
- N001742210026
Entities
People
- Veronica Eliasson
Organizations
- Colorado School of Mines
- United States Navy