Evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristics
Composite propellants are used to fabricate solid motors for space vehicles. The fundamental factor that affects motor safety is the structural damage in the propellant owing to slow heating in an abnormal storage or service environment. Hence, their thermal damage and combustion characteristics sho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-07-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Materials Research and Technology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785423015387 |
| _version_ | 1797745207859478528 |
|---|---|
| author | Jianxin Nie Jiahao Liang Haijun Zhang Yu Zou Qingjie Jiao Yingjun Li Xueyong Guo Shi Yan Yanli Zhu |
| author_facet | Jianxin Nie Jiahao Liang Haijun Zhang Yu Zou Qingjie Jiao Yingjun Li Xueyong Guo Shi Yan Yanli Zhu |
| author_sort | Jianxin Nie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Composite propellants are used to fabricate solid motors for space vehicles. The fundamental factor that affects motor safety is the structural damage in the propellant owing to slow heating in an abnormal storage or service environment. Hence, their thermal damage and combustion characteristics should be studied comprehensively. In this study, we investigated the combustion behaviours of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene/ammonium perchlorate/aluminium powder (HTPB/AP/Al) and hydroxyl-terminated block copolyether/AP/Al (HTPE/AP/AI) propellants under slow heating conditions. The pore structure was observed using scanning electron microscopy and micro-computerised tomography. Their weight loss behaviour, gaseous products, and pore structure evolution were analysed using thermogravimetric analysis, mass spectrometry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The influence of the pore structure on the combustion behaviour was studied by establishing the relationship between combustion and energy release rates. The weight loss rates of HTPB/AP/Al and HTPE/AP/Al before ignition were 34.5% and 16.1%, respectively. Upon heating, the HTPB binder decomposed to form pore channels, through which the gaseous products produced from the decomposition of AP were released, which increased the structural damage in this propellant. In contrast, upon heating, the HTPE binder liquefied and formed a coating on the AP particles, which slowed the structural damage in this propellant. Moreover, the calculated reaction intensity of HTPB/AP/Al was 4.16 times that of HTPE/AP/Al, indicating that larger pore channels increase the burning surface for combustion. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:20:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e8560b2c8f7466c8ddf04bea6324f87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2238-7854 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:20:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Materials Research and Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e8560b2c8f7466c8ddf04bea6324f872023-08-11T05:34:12ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542023-07-012550215037Evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristicsJianxin Nie0Jiahao Liang1Haijun Zhang2Yu Zou3Qingjie Jiao4Yingjun Li5Xueyong Guo6Shi Yan7Yanli Zhu8State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China; Corresponding author.State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, ChinaXi'an Modern Control Technology Research Institute, Xi'an, 710065, China601 Institute, The Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Hohhot, 010076, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China601 Institute, The Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Hohhot, 010076, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, ChinaComposite propellants are used to fabricate solid motors for space vehicles. The fundamental factor that affects motor safety is the structural damage in the propellant owing to slow heating in an abnormal storage or service environment. Hence, their thermal damage and combustion characteristics should be studied comprehensively. In this study, we investigated the combustion behaviours of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene/ammonium perchlorate/aluminium powder (HTPB/AP/Al) and hydroxyl-terminated block copolyether/AP/Al (HTPE/AP/AI) propellants under slow heating conditions. The pore structure was observed using scanning electron microscopy and micro-computerised tomography. Their weight loss behaviour, gaseous products, and pore structure evolution were analysed using thermogravimetric analysis, mass spectrometry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The influence of the pore structure on the combustion behaviour was studied by establishing the relationship between combustion and energy release rates. The weight loss rates of HTPB/AP/Al and HTPE/AP/Al before ignition were 34.5% and 16.1%, respectively. Upon heating, the HTPB binder decomposed to form pore channels, through which the gaseous products produced from the decomposition of AP were released, which increased the structural damage in this propellant. In contrast, upon heating, the HTPE binder liquefied and formed a coating on the AP particles, which slowed the structural damage in this propellant. Moreover, the calculated reaction intensity of HTPB/AP/Al was 4.16 times that of HTPE/AP/Al, indicating that larger pore channels increase the burning surface for combustion.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785423015387Composite propellantStructure damageThermal decompositionCombustionSlow heating |
| spellingShingle | Jianxin Nie Jiahao Liang Haijun Zhang Yu Zou Qingjie Jiao Yingjun Li Xueyong Guo Shi Yan Yanli Zhu Evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristics Journal of Materials Research and Technology Composite propellant Structure damage Thermal decomposition Combustion Slow heating |
| title | Evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristics |
| title_full | Evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristics |
| title_fullStr | Evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristics |
| title_short | Evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristics |
| title_sort | evolution of structural damage of solid composite propellants under slow heating and effect on combustion characteristics |
| topic | Composite propellant Structure damage Thermal decomposition Combustion Slow heating |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785423015387 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jianxinnie evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics AT jiahaoliang evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics AT haijunzhang evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics AT yuzou evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics AT qingjiejiao evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics AT yingjunli evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics AT xueyongguo evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics AT shiyan evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics AT yanlizhu evolutionofstructuraldamageofsolidcompositepropellantsunderslowheatingandeffectoncombustioncharacteristics |