Study on combustion properties of ammonium dinitramide composite propellants

To weaken plume signature of composite solid propellants, a propellant containing free-halogen oxidant, ammonium dinitramide (ADN), was prepared successfully by employing a new-type polyether binder. The test results indicated that, compared with the composite ammonium perchlorate (AP) propellant, the composite ADN propellant is of higher burning rate and higher burning rate-pressure exponent. Thermo-gravimetric analysis shows that the initial thermal decommposition temperature of polyether binder is 235°C, and the initial thermal decompositon temperatures of composite ADN propellants is identical with the corresponding composite AP propellants. But the thermo gravimetric curves composite ADN propellants are lower than those of composite AP propellants. Scaning electron microscopy analysis suggests that there exists a thicker melting layer on the quenched surface of composite ADN propellant.