Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thermal study of the decomposition of HTPB hybrid rocket fuel in the presence of azo-tetrazolate-based high nitrogen content high energy materials

  • Published:
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Azo-tetrazolate salts and their derivatives have identical negatively charged conjugated nitrogen rings and two varied positively charged cations. The varied cations are guanidinium, aminoguanidinium, diaminoguanidinium, triaminoguanidinium and ammonium. Azo-tetrazolate salts and their derivatives were synthesized and fully characterized by multinuclear spectroscopy (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) has been used as a fuel and/or binder for devices such as hybrid and solid rockets. Present-day work on HTPB includes studying its thermal decomposition in the presence and absence of energetic material. Varying concentrations of energetic materials were used to create samples of crosslinked HTPB, which were utilized for the analysis. Different percentages (10, 15, 20%) by mass of azo-tetrazolate-based high nitrogen materials were used. Crosslinking agent polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanate (PAPI) was added to the polybutadiene R45-M resin and was maintained at 15% by mass in all samples. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG) were performed to investigate the effect of additives. This is carried out within an atmospheric air setting at a heating rate of 5 °C/min. Plain HTPB has three exothermic peaks under air, with the first occurring at 206.82 °C, the second peak at 350 °C and the third peak beginning (onset) at 421.67 °C. Total decomposition of the mixtures is exhibited by the third exothermic peak, which ends at 600 °C. The effect of mixing these high energy compounds was determined using TG and DSC. Indications are that the resulting high energy compound/HTPB mixtures may provide a better performing fuel for future hybrid rocket formulations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Shanks R, Hudson MK. A labscale hybrid rocket motor for instrumentation studies. J Pyrotech. 2000;11:1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wei L. Simulation of combustion of hybrid rocket fuel. A doctoral dissertation, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas, 2004.

  3. Altman D. Hybrid rocket development history. In: AIAA paper 1991. pp. 1991–2515.

  4. Shanks RB. A labscale rocket motor and facility for plume diagnostics and combustion studies. A doctoral dissertation, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1994.

  5. Moore GE, Berman K. A solid–liquid rocket propellant system. Jet Propuls. 1956;26:965–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Mahanta AK, Pathak DD. HTPB-polyurethane: a versatile fuel binder for composite solid propellant. Polyurethane. 2012. https://doi.org/10.5772/47995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. McCreedy K, Keskkula H. Effect of thermal crosslinking on decomposition of polybutadiene. Polymer. 1979;20:1155–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ahlblad G, Reitberger T, Terselius B, Stenberg B. Thermal oxidation of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene rubber I. Chemiluminescence studies. Polym Degrad Stab. 1999;65:179–84.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Abusaidi H, Ghaieni HR, Pourmortazavi SM, Motamed-Shariati SH. Effect of nitro content on thermal stability and decomposition kinetics of nitro-HTPB. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2016;124(2):935–41.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Abusaidi H, Ghaieni HR. Thermal analysis and kinetic decomposition of nitro-functionalized hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene bonded explosive. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2016;2017(127):2301–6.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Lu Y-C, Kuo KK. Thermal decomposition study of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) solid fuel. Thermochimica Acta. 1996;275:181.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hudson MK, Wright AM, Luchini C, Wynne PC, Rooke S. Guanidinium azo-tetrazolate (GAT) as a high performance hybrid rocket fuel additive. J Pyrotech. 2004;19:37–42.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Wright AM, Wynne PC, Rooke S, Hudson MK, Strong M. Hybrid rocket regression rate study of amino Guanidinium azo-tetrazolate. AIAA Technical Paper 1991-2515; 1991.

  14. Sinha YK, Sridhar BTN, Santhosh M. Thermal decomposition study of HTPB solid fuel in the presence of activated charcoal and paraffin. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2015;119:557–65.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hiskey MA, Goldman N, Stine JR. High-nitrogen energetic materials derived from azotetrazolate. J Energy Mater. 1998;16:119–27.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Yousef Muntaha A, Keith HM, Berry BC. Study on the compatibility of azo-tetrazolate high energy materials using DSC. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-018-7221-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Cheng Z, Zhang G, Fan X, Bi F, Zhao F, Zhang W, Gao Z. Synthesis, characterization, migration and catalytic effects of energetic ionic ferrocene compounds on thermal decomposition of main components of solid propellants. Inorg Chim Acta. 2014;421:191–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hammerl A, Hiskey MA, Holl G, Klapoetke TM, Polborn K, Stierstorfer J, Weigand JJ. Azidoformamidinium and guanidinium 5,5′-azotetrazolate salts. Chem Mater. 2005;17:3784–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ninan KN, Krishnan K, Rajeev R, Viswanathan G. Thermoanalytical investigations on the effect of atmospheric oxygen on HTPB resin. Propellants Explos Pyrotech. 1996;21:199–202.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Marino G, Chierice G, Pinheiro C, Souza A. Thermal decomposition of metallic diethanoldithiocarbamate complexes. Thermochim Acta. 1999;328:209–15.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Du T. Thermal decomposition studies of solid propellant binder HTPB. Thermochim Acta. 1989;138:189–97.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Chen J, Brill T. Chemistry and kinetics of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and diisocyanate-HTPB polymers during slow decomposition and combustion-like conditions. Combust Flame. 1991;87:217–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Sivabalan R, Talawar MB, Senthilkumar N, Kavitha B, Asthana SN. Studies on azotetrazolate based high nitrogen content high energy materials potential additives for rocket propellants. Kluwer Acad Publ. 2004;78:781–92.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Manu S. Glycidyl azide polymer GAP as a high energy polymeric binder for composite solid propellant applications. A doctoral dissertation, Mahatma Gandhi University, India, 2009.

  25. Teague MW, Welborn JR, Felix T, Hudson M, Willis J. UV/vis absorption as a diagnostic for no in rocket plumes. Int J Turbo Jet Eng. 1996;13:211–6.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Support from the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium (ASGC) (NASA award NNX15AR71H) in the form of a Research Infrastructure Award and multiple years STEM awards for Dr. Yousef is gratefully acknowledged. We thank the UA Little Rock Nanotech Center for use of the Thermal Laboratory and its TG and DSC equipment. Thank you to Drs. Fumiya Watanabe, Omar Abdulrazzaq, Shawn Bourdo and Viney Saini for their assistance. Ms. Missy Hill and Ms. Laura Holland were very helpful to Dr. Yousef during her studies. This work was partially presented at the 2016 ACS National Convention (Philadelphia), 2016 UA Little Rock Research EXPO, and at the 2016 Arkansas Space Grant Consortium 2016 Annual Symposium.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, USA

    Muntaha A. Yousef & M. Keith Hudson

Authors
  1. Muntaha A. Yousef
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Keith Hudson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Keith Hudson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yousef, M.A., Hudson, M.K. Thermal study of the decomposition of HTPB hybrid rocket fuel in the presence of azo-tetrazolate-based high nitrogen content high energy materials. J Therm Anal Calorim 134, 1785–1797 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-018-7490-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-018-7490-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation