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Effect of complex metal hydride on the thermal decomposition behavior of AP/HTPB-based aluminized solid rocket propellant

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Abstract

In the current research work, the potential of lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4), as an energetic fuel and efficient chlorine scavenger, for improving the performance and reducing the negative environmental impacts of composite solid propellants (CSPs) containing ammonium perchlorate as oxidizer, aluminum as fuel, and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene as binder (AP/HTPB/Al) was investigated. Three CSP formulations, i.e., AP/HTPB/Al, AP/HTPB/LiAlH4, and AP/HTPB/LiAlH4 + Al, were prepared and characterized using infrared spectroscopic method, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and thermogravimetry. The FTIR results revealed that the introduction of LiAlH4 did not alter the chemical structure of the baseline propellant. DSC measurements demonstrated that the three prepared propellant samples displayed a similar thermal decomposition behavior with an increase in thermal decomposition temperatures as the heating rate increased. In addition, an enhanced heat release was found for the complex metal hydride-based propellant samples compared to the pure aluminum-based propellant. Moreover, the deconvolution of the exothermic process related to the main decomposition of LiAlH4-based propellants highlighted a novel exothermic behavior assigned to the interaction of AP-complete dissociation species and LiAlH4 dehydrogenation products. Kinetic modeling performed on DSC data determined at various heating rates using isoconversional methods showed a diminution in the activation energy (Ea) of the propellant that contains LiAlH4, thus highlighting its excellent catalytic effect on both decomposition stages of the AP/HTPB/Al propellant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Energetic Materials Laboratory, Ecole Militaire Polytechnique, BP 17, 16046, Bordj-el-Bahri, Algiers, Algeria

    Fateh Chalghoum, Djalal Trache & Salim Chelouche

  2. Ecole Supérieure du Matériel ESM, BP 188, Beau-Lieu, Algiers, Algeria

    Fateh Chalghoum & Mokhtar Benziane

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  1. Fateh Chalghoum
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  2. Djalal Trache
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  3. Mokhtar Benziane
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  4. Salim Chelouche
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Contributions

Fateh Chalghoum contributed to conceptualization, methodology, investigation, and writing—original draft. Djalal Trache contributed to supervision, conceptualization, methodology, resources, and writing—review and editing. Mokhtar Benziane and Salim Chelouche performed data curation and writing—review and editing.

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Correspondence to Djalal Trache.

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Chalghoum, F., Trache, D., Benziane, M. et al. Effect of complex metal hydride on the thermal decomposition behavior of AP/HTPB-based aluminized solid rocket propellant. J Therm Anal Calorim 147, 11507–11534 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-022-11355-y

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