Exploration of the Application of Borane Metal-Organic Framework Fuel in Solid Propellant

Mingcheng Ge; Ze Su; Xian Xu; Yiqiang Xu; Jianguo Zhang; Zhimin Li

doi:10.1002/prep.70020

Exploration of the Application of Borane Metal-Organic Framework Fuel in Solid Propellant

Mingcheng Ge
, Ze Su
, Xian Xu
, Yiqiang Xu
, Jianguo Zhang
, Zhimin Li^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Beijing Institute of Technology
Beijing Institute of Aerospace Long March Scientific and Technical Information

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Three high-energy density and high-activity borane metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) fuel [Co(EIM)₂(BTB)₂]_n(1), [Cu(EIM)₂(BTB)₂]_n(2), and [Cd(EIM)₂(BTB)₂]_n(3) were introduced into the propellant formulation. The effects of three kinds of MOF fuels on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. The theoretical specific impulse of MOF fuels and AP mixed system was calculated by Chemical Equilibrium with Applications software. The combustion process of the MOF fuels and AP mixed system was analyzed using by high-speed camera. The propellant formulations were designed by using MOF fuels instead of aluminum powder (Al), and the combustion performance tests were carried out. The results show that MOF fuels 1–3 reduce the peak temperature of exothermic decomposition of AP by 63.2, 51.5, and 5.9°C, and the mixed system of MOF fuel and AP can be ignited by electric heating wire and burn stably, resulting in a large amount of high temperature gas, the gas production of MOF 1 mixed system is 2.76 mol per 100 g, and the specific impulse of MOF 2/AP mixed system is the highest (223.0 s) at O/F = 4. Under the pressure of 3–9 MPa, the burning rate of the propellant is in the range of 8.1–13.4 mm/s, which is higher than that of the propellant fueled by Al (7.1–9.4 mm/s), and the pressure index is lower, among which CSP 2 has the best combustion performance.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	144-151
Number of pages	8
Journal	Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics
Volume	50
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/prep.70020
Publication status	Published - Oct 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

MOF fuel
combustion catalyst
solid propellant

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10.1002/prep.70020

Cite this

@article{017b51306e38478b956fe01a6140f365,

title = "Exploration of the Application of Borane Metal-Organic Framework Fuel in Solid Propellant",

abstract = "Three high-energy density and high-activity borane metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) fuel [Co(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(1), [Cu(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(2), and [Cd(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(3) were introduced into the propellant formulation. The effects of three kinds of MOF fuels on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. The theoretical specific impulse of MOF fuels and AP mixed system was calculated by Chemical Equilibrium with Applications software. The combustion process of the MOF fuels and AP mixed system was analyzed using by high-speed camera. The propellant formulations were designed by using MOF fuels instead of aluminum powder (Al), and the combustion performance tests were carried out. The results show that MOF fuels 1–3 reduce the peak temperature of exothermic decomposition of AP by 63.2, 51.5, and 5.9°C, and the mixed system of MOF fuel and AP can be ignited by electric heating wire and burn stably, resulting in a large amount of high temperature gas, the gas production of MOF 1 mixed system is 2.76 mol per 100 g, and the specific impulse of MOF 2/AP mixed system is the highest (223.0 s) at O/F = 4. Under the pressure of 3–9 MPa, the burning rate of the propellant is in the range of 8.1–13.4 mm/s, which is higher than that of the propellant fueled by Al (7.1–9.4 mm/s), and the pressure index is lower, among which CSP 2 has the best combustion performance.",

keywords = "MOF fuel, combustion catalyst, solid propellant",

author = "Mingcheng Ge and Ze Su and Xian Xu and Yiqiang Xu and Jianguo Zhang and Zhimin Li",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1002/prep.70020",

language = "English",

volume = "50",

pages = "144--151",

journal = "Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics",

issn = "0721-3115",

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number = "10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Exploration of the Application of Borane Metal-Organic Framework Fuel in Solid Propellant

AU - Ge, Mingcheng

AU - Su, Ze

AU - Xu, Xian

AU - Xu, Yiqiang

AU - Zhang, Jianguo

AU - Li, Zhimin

PY - 2025/10

Y1 - 2025/10

N2 - Three high-energy density and high-activity borane metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) fuel [Co(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(1), [Cu(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(2), and [Cd(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(3) were introduced into the propellant formulation. The effects of three kinds of MOF fuels on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. The theoretical specific impulse of MOF fuels and AP mixed system was calculated by Chemical Equilibrium with Applications software. The combustion process of the MOF fuels and AP mixed system was analyzed using by high-speed camera. The propellant formulations were designed by using MOF fuels instead of aluminum powder (Al), and the combustion performance tests were carried out. The results show that MOF fuels 1–3 reduce the peak temperature of exothermic decomposition of AP by 63.2, 51.5, and 5.9°C, and the mixed system of MOF fuel and AP can be ignited by electric heating wire and burn stably, resulting in a large amount of high temperature gas, the gas production of MOF 1 mixed system is 2.76 mol per 100 g, and the specific impulse of MOF 2/AP mixed system is the highest (223.0 s) at O/F = 4. Under the pressure of 3–9 MPa, the burning rate of the propellant is in the range of 8.1–13.4 mm/s, which is higher than that of the propellant fueled by Al (7.1–9.4 mm/s), and the pressure index is lower, among which CSP 2 has the best combustion performance.

AB - Three high-energy density and high-activity borane metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) fuel [Co(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(1), [Cu(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(2), and [Cd(EIM)2(BTB)2]n(3) were introduced into the propellant formulation. The effects of three kinds of MOF fuels on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. The theoretical specific impulse of MOF fuels and AP mixed system was calculated by Chemical Equilibrium with Applications software. The combustion process of the MOF fuels and AP mixed system was analyzed using by high-speed camera. The propellant formulations were designed by using MOF fuels instead of aluminum powder (Al), and the combustion performance tests were carried out. The results show that MOF fuels 1–3 reduce the peak temperature of exothermic decomposition of AP by 63.2, 51.5, and 5.9°C, and the mixed system of MOF fuel and AP can be ignited by electric heating wire and burn stably, resulting in a large amount of high temperature gas, the gas production of MOF 1 mixed system is 2.76 mol per 100 g, and the specific impulse of MOF 2/AP mixed system is the highest (223.0 s) at O/F = 4. Under the pressure of 3–9 MPa, the burning rate of the propellant is in the range of 8.1–13.4 mm/s, which is higher than that of the propellant fueled by Al (7.1–9.4 mm/s), and the pressure index is lower, among which CSP 2 has the best combustion performance.

KW - MOF fuel

KW - combustion catalyst

KW - solid propellant

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105017155773

U2 - 10.1002/prep.70020

DO - 10.1002/prep.70020

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105017155773

SN - 0721-3115

VL - 50

SP - 144

EP - 151

JO - Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics

JF - Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics

IS - 10

ER -

Exploration of the Application of Borane Metal-Organic Framework Fuel in Solid Propellant

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Keywords

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