Cobalt copper zinc ferrite: An efficient catalyst for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

ABSTRACT

Cobalt Copper Zinc Ferrite (CoCuZnF) was synthesized using the co-precipitation method and characterized by various physicochemical instrumental techniques like UV-Vis, Raman, and N₂-adsorption-desorption analysis to identify its structural parameters. Moreover, the catalytic study of nano CoCuZnF on ammonium perchlorate (AP) and AP-based composite solid propellant (CSP) was studied using DSC analysis. Furthermore, many kinetic models were employed to study its kinetics parameters. The thermal decomposition peak of AP was found to be decreased by 65–66°C in the presence of 1% by mass CoCuZnF additive. The activation energy of AP was found to be decreased by ~27-28% in the presence of CoCuZnF. The burn rate of AP-based CSP was found to be increased by 0.77 mm s⁻¹ when CoCuZnF was used as an additive.

ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Ammonium perchlorate (AP)
• composite solid propellants (CSPs)
• burn rate
• catalyst
• thermal decomposition

Highlights

• Nano-size cobalt copper ferrite particles have been successfully synthesized via the co-precipitation method

• FWO, KAS, Starink, and Friedman models have been used for the activation energy studies

• Thermal decomposition temperature and the activation energy of AP in the presence of CoCuZnF are decreased indicating its good catalytic activity.

• The burn rate of CSPs was increased by adding CoCuZnF as an additive.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Department of Chemistry, Sardar Patel University for providing research facility, the Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University for providing Raman facility, and Savitribai Phule Pune University for providing BET, DSC, and TGA facilities. RS and RT are also thankful to DST project no SR/NM/NT-1014/2016 (G) for Junior Research Fellowship and Research Associate fellowship, respectively.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Department of Science and Technology,India [SR/NM/NT-1014/2016 (G)].