Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Differences of thermal decomposition behaviors and combustion properties between CL-20-based propellants and HMX-based solid propellants

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

Abstract

Differences of thermal decomposition characteristics and combustion properties between CL-20-based propellants and HMX-based propellants were researched by combination of theory and practice. Burning rates and burning rate pressure exponents of CL-20-based propellants were much higher than those of HMX-based propellants, when contents and particle sizes of CL-20 and HMX were identical. The thermal decomposition of CL-20 and CL-20-based propellants was systematically studied by comparison of HMX and HMX-based propellants. HMX melted firstly at 198.53 °C and then decomposed violently at 284.3 °C, while CL-20 only decomposed violently at 246.9 °C without any melting peak, and the heat released from decomposition of CL-20 was much higher than that of HMX. Thermal decomposition of CL-20 or HMX could be greatly enhanced by GAP. CL-20 could accelerate the high-temperature decomposition of AP, whereas the decomposition of HMX was greatly enhanced by AP. Mole ratio of [NO2]/[N2O] in decomposition gas products of CL-20 was 3.07, whereas the result for HMX was 0.43. More oxidative gases were generated for CL-20 or CL-20-based propellants. Molar reaction heat in luminescent flame zone and dark zone for CL-20-based propellants was much higher than that for HMX-based propellants, resulting in a higher burning rate for CL-20-based propellants. Value of [NO2]/[N2O] for gas-phase products of thermal decomposition of CL-20/ammonium perchlorate (AP) mixed system was also much higher than of HMX/AP mixed system, resulting in more oxidative gases, such as NO2, involved in the thermal decomposition and combustion of CL-20-based propellants with ammonium perchlorate, further leading to higher burning rates of CL-20-based propellants.

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
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Nair UR, Sivabalan R, Gore GM, Geetha M, Asthana SN, Singh H. Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) and CL-20-based formulations (review). Combust Explos Shock Waves. 2005;41:121–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Geetha M, Nair UR, Sarwade DB, Gore GM, Asthana SN. Studies on CL-20: The most powerful high energy material. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2003;73:913–22.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. He X, Liu Y, Huang SL, Liu Y, Pu XM, Xu T. Raman spectroscopy coupled with principal component analysis to quantitatively analyze four crystallographic phases of explosive CL-20. RSC Adv. 2018;8:23348–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Trache M, Klapötke TM, Maiz L, AbdElghany M, DeLuca LT. Recent advances in new oxidizers for solid rocket propulsion. Green Chem. 2017;19:4711–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lu YY, Shu YJ, Liu N, Lu XM, Xu MH. Molecular dynamics simulations on ε-CL-20-based PBXs with added GAP and its derivative polymers. RSC Adv. 2018;8:4955–62.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hussein AK, Elbeih A, Zeman S. The effect of glycidyl azide polymer on the stability and explosive properties of different interesting nitramines. RSC Adv. 2018;8:17272–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen T, Zhang Y, Guo SF, Zhao LM, Chen W, Hao GZ, Xiao L, Ke X, Jiang W. Preparation and property of CL-20/BAMO-THF energetic nanocomposites. Def Technol. 2019;15:306–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Tomoki N, Makoto K. Influences of particle size and content of HMX on burning characteristics of HMX-based propellant. Aerosp Sci Technol. 2013;27:209–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Chatterjee S, Deb U, Datta S, Walther C, Gupta DK. Common explosives (TNT, RDX, HMX) and their fate in the environment: emphasizing bioremediation. Chemosphere. 2017;184:428–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Turcotte R, Vachon M, Kwok QSM. Thermal study of HNIW (CL-20). Thermochim Acta. 2005;433:105–15.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Naik NH, Gore GM, Gandhe BR, Sikder AK. Studies on thermal decomposition mechanism of CL-20 by pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). J Hazard Mater. 2008;159:630–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Yang R, Xiao H. Dissociation mechanism of HNIW ions investigated by chemical ionization and electron impact mass spectroscopy. Propellants Explos Pyrotech. 2010;31:148–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Chen SL, Liu JB, Wei SQ, Qiang SU. Study on thermal decomposition kinetics of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane. Chin J Energ Mater. 2002;10:46–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Washburn EB, Parr TP, HansonParr DM. Micro videographic analysis of the melt layer of self-deflagrating HMX and RDX. Propellants Explos Pyrotech. 2010;35:46–52.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kalman J, Essel J. Influence of particle size on the combustion of CL-20/HTPB propellants. Propellants Explos Pyrotech. 2017;42:1261–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Nedelko VV, Chukanov NV, Raevskii AV, Korsounskii BL, Larikova TS, Kolesova OI. Comparative investigation of thermal decomposition of various modifications of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20). Propellants Explos Pyrotech. 2015;25:255–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kuo KK, Acharya R. Applications of turbulent and multiphase combustion. Hoboken: Wiley; 2012.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  18. Korobeinichev OP, Paletskii AA, Volkov EN. Flame structure and combustion chemistry of energetic materials. Russ J Phys Chem B. 2008;2:206–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Homan BE, Miller MS, Vanderhoff JA. Flame absorption diagnostics and modeling investigations of RDX flame structure. Combust Flame. 2000;120:301–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Paletsky AA, Tereshchenko AG, Volkov EN, Korobeinichev OP, Sakovich GV, Komarov VF, et al. Study of the CL-20 flame structure using probing molecular beam mass spectrometry. Combust Explos Shock Waves. 2009;45:286–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Zhang T, Li YY, Wang W, Guo Y, Li CC, Pang AM, Guo ZQ, Ma HX. Directional assembly of flowerlike maghemite on graphene and its catalytic activity for the thermal decomposition of CL-20. Ceram Int. 2019;45:20606–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Ding L, Zhao FQ, Pan Q, Xu HX. Research on the thermal decomposition behavior of NEPE propellant containing CL-20. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis. 2016;121:121–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Gump JC, Peiris SM. Phase transitions and isothermal equations of state of epsilon hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20). J Appl Phys. 2008;104:083509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Zhang T, Guo Y, Li J, Guan Y, Guo Z, Ma H. High catalytic activity of nitrogen-doped graphene on the thermal decomposition of CL-20. Propellants Explos Pyrotech. 2018;43:1263–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Mei X, Jiao Q, Zhu Y, Yu J, Chen L. Calorimetry thermal study of HNIW(CL-20) and mixtures containing aluminum powder. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2014;116:1159–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Xing XL, Zhao FQ, Ma SN, et al. Thermal decomposition behavior, kinetics, and thermal hazard evaluation of CMDB propellant containing CL-20 by microcalorimetry. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2012;110:1451–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Stewart JJP. Optimization of parameters for semiempirical methods VI: more modifications to the NDDO approximations and re-optimization of parameters. J Mol Model. 2013;19:1–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Zhao Y, Truhlar DG. The M06 suite of density functionals for main group thermochemistry, thermochemical kinetics, noncovalent interactions, excited states, and transition elements: two new functionals and systematic testing of four M06 functionals and 12 other functionals. Theor Chem Acc. 2008;119:525.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Hegab A, Jackson TL, Buckmaster J, Stewart DS. Nonsteady burning of periodic sandwich propellants with complete coupling between the solid and gas phases. Combust Flame. 2001;125:1055–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Kim JH, Yim YJ. Effect of particle size on the thermal decomposition of EPSILON-hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane. J Chem Eng Japan. 1999;32:237–41.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51701067).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science and Technology on Aerospace Chemical Power Laboratory, Hubei Institute of Aerospace Chemical Technology, Xiangyang, 441003, China

    Shuiping Zhou, Gen Tang, Xiang Guo & Aimin Pang

  2. The Fourth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Xi’an, 710025, China

    Xiaoyang Zhou

Authors
  1. Shuiping Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaoyang Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gen Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiang Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Aimin Pang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Shuiping Zhou or Gen Tang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests

There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

10973_2019_9004_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Theoretical calculation of thermal decomposition behaviors of HMX and CL-20 was demonstrated in Supporting Information. (PDF 440 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhou, S., Zhou, X., Tang, G. et al. Differences of thermal decomposition behaviors and combustion properties between CL-20-based propellants and HMX-based solid propellants. J Therm Anal Calorim 140, 2529–2540 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-09004-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-09004-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation