Laboratory scale method for preparation of mixture modeled composite fuels for hybrid propulsion

ABSTRACT

Fuel formulation is one of the chief strategies investigated in hybrid propulsion studies. In this context, polyethylenes-paraffins compositions have been suggested as a trade-off solution to attain both mechanical quality and ballistic performance. In parallel, mixed hybrids have already proven their capacity to enhance regression rates of thermoset polymers in mixture-modelled experiments. Ammonium perchlorate replacement by ammonium nitrate could turn mixed hybrids into environmentally benign materials. Meanwhile, the preparation of hybrid fuels based on paraffins and thermoplastic polymers seems to lack an application-oriented approach, capable to generate macroscopically homogeneous and symmetrical samples, compatible with both instrumental and ballistic measurements. Therefore, this work successfully outlines a laboratory scale preparation method developed to generate cylindrical composite fuel grains for hybrid propulsion, comprising low-density polyethylene (LDPE), macrocrystalline paraffin and ammonium nitrate mixture-modelled formulations, as well as applies thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry to gain insight into their microstructural aspects, particularly their miscibility and its relation to the observed macroscopic behavior.

KEYWORDS:

• Hybrid propulsion
• polyethylene
• paraffin
• ammonium nitrate
• mixture modelling
• preparation

Declaration Of Interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest associated to this work.

Nomenclature

A = LDPE label in mixture modelling

B = Macrocrystalline paraffin label in mixture modelling

C= Ammonium nitrate label in mixture modelling

V = Vertices in mixture modelling

C = Centers in mixture modelling