Effects of Aluminum Composites on the Regression Rates of Solid Fuels

Innovative, mechanically activated Al-polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites and ammonium perchlorate (AP) coated nano-sized aluminum (C-ALEX) were produced, characterized, and tested as solid fuel additives. The ballistics of fuel formulations based on hydroxylterminated polybutadiene (HTPB) was investigated in a microburner by a time-resolved technique for regression rate (rf) data reduction. Both Al-composites show promising results in terms of rf and mass burning rate enhancement. In particular, the C-ALEX showed a percent rf increase over the baseline (HTPB) of 27% at an oxidizer mass flux of 350 kg/(m2s), without requiring dedicated dispersion procedures. This performance enhancement was nearly constant over the whole investigated range.