Preparation of copper ferrite by sol–gel method and the synergistic catalytic for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

In the present work, copper ferrite was prepared by a simple and mild sol–gel method followed by low-temperature calcination, and characterized by various analytical techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis suggests that the copper ferrite with the spinel-type ferrite crystal forms have been successfully prepared. More crystal defects are observed in copper ferrite crystals than in the pure iron oxide and copper oxide crystals. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analyses reveal that the prepared copper ferrites are mesoporous structures with large specific surface areas and the specific surface area increases with the increase of Fe content. The effects of the structure of copper ferrite on its catalytic activity for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and the catalytic mechanism were investigated and explored based on the thermogravimetric analysis of the decomposition process. It is found that the copper ferrites prepared at the molar ratios of Cu/Fe of 1/2 and 1/4 exhibit the best catalytic activities for the thermal decomposition of AP. The synergistic catalytic mechanism of Cu–Fe–O is proposed based on the electron transfer and proton transfer theories for the thermal decomposition of AP. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]