Preparation of CuO Modified SBA-15 and Applications as Catalyst in AP/HTPB Solid State Propellants

Abstract

Nanometer metal oxides were highly desirable to increase the burning rate of composite solid propellant because of their high catalytic activities. However, poor dispersibility limits their wide applications. In this work, the dispersibility of CuO was enhanced significantly by attachment to the mesoporous silica SBA-15. CuO/SBA-15 composites were prepared by using impregnation method with as-prepared SBA-15 as support, and the occluded template (P123) in SBA-15 promoted the dispersion of CuO on SBA-15. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that no CuO crystalline visible in the composite and N₂ adsorption-desorption showed a great amount of CuO dispersion on SBA-15. As the catalyst of propellant, CuO/SBA-15 composite not only enhanced the burning rate of propellant but also decreased the pressure exponent. With the addition of 1 wt% CuO/SBA-15 in the propellant, the burning rate of AP-based propellant increased 9.5%, and pressure exponent decreased 17.3%.

Keywords:

• CuO
• Impregnation
• Propellant
• SBA-15
• Template occluded

The authors would like to thank Drs. Guo Xiaode and Gu Zhiming of the National Special Superfine Powders Engineering Research Center in Nanjing University of Science & Technology for their enthusiastic support in the preparation of propellants.