Catalytic effect of carbon nanotubes on pyrotechnics

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were added into pyrotechnics with potassium perchlorate and potassium nitrate by water-mixing method and acetone-mixing method. And accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) was used to study catalysis for pyrotechnics with potassium perchlorate and potassium nitrate adding CNTs. Results show that CNTs can catalyze pyrotechnics with potassium perchlorate and potassium nitrate, and the best adding method is water-mixing method. For the pyrotechnics with potassium perchlorate adding CNTs by water-mixing method, the maximal reaction rate is 8.21 min^-1, which is 4.15 times of pyrotechnics adding no catalyst; and time to maximal rate is 52.09 min, which is 56.4% lower than that of pyrotechnics adding no catalyst. For the pyrotechnics with potassium nitrate adding CNTs by water-mixing method, the maximal reaction rate is 8.52 min^-1, which is 1.51 times of pyrotechnics adding no catalyst; and time to maximal rate is 141.83 min, which is 11.0% lower than that of pyrotechnics adding no catalyst.