Numerical Simulation of Particle/Matrix Interface Failure in Composite Propellant

Interface debonding between particle and matrix in composite propellant influences its macroscopic mechanical properties greatly. For this, the laws of interface cohesive damage and failure were analyzed. Then, its microscopic computational model was established. The interface mechanical response was modeled by the bilinear cohesive zone model. The effects of interface properties and particle sizes on the macroscopic mechanical behavior were investigated. Numerical simulation of debonding damage evolution of composite propellant under finite deformation was carried out. The debonding damage nucleation, propagation mechanism and non-uniform distribution of microscopic stress-strain fields were discussed. The results show that the finite element simulation method based on microstructure model can effectively predict the trend of macroscopic mechanical behavior and particle/matrix debonding evolution process. It can be used for damage simulation and failure assessment of composite propellants.

Light weight HTPB-clay nanocomposites (HCN) with enhanced ablation performance as inhibition materials for composite propellant

In the present study,organically modified Montmorillonite clay with polar moiety,the Cloisite 30B,is used for preparation of Hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)-clay nanocomposites(HCN)by dispersion of nanoclay in polymer matrix under high shear mixing.The nanocomposites thus prepared are evaluated in composite propellants as inhibitor material for their functional utility.Several inhibition formulations containing 5 wt%-15 wt%of nanoclay,with or without the conventional filler Sb2O3,were prepared.All these formulations were evaluated for their physical,mechanical,thermal,and ablative properties.Ablation rate and density of the compositions containing Cloisite 30B is around 23%and 5%lower respectively in comparison of the base composition.Strain capability of these compositions is twofold higher than that of base composition.These compositions have also been evaluated for their smoke generation tendency by measuring infra red(IR)attenuation in the wavelength range 1.3 mm e5.6 mm and 8 mme13 mm and thereby compared with the base composition.The corresponding results confirmed that the compositions containing Cloisite 30B as filler have much lower IR attenuation than compositions with conventional filler,Sb2O3.Replacement of 5%Sb2O3 by nanoclay showed 8%reduction in IR attenuation rate which further reduced to 16%on replacement of 15%of Sb2O3.Interfacial bonding of HCN based inhibitors is also comparable or even better than conventional inhibitors.Precisely,the nanoclay composites with Cloisite 30B as filler exhibit all desirable properties of an inhibitor.

Preparation of ammonium nitrate-based solid composite propellants supplemented with polyurethane/nitrocellulose blends binder and their thermal decomposition behavior

To improve the performance of solid composite propellants(SCPs)supplemented with ammonium nitrate(AN)as an oxidizer,the incorporation of energetic ingredients such as explosives,energetic binders or catalysts is a common effective approach.For this purpose,polyurethane(PU),a typical inert binder,was mixed with nitrocellulose(NC)as an energetic polymer.Numerous composite solid propellant compositions based on AN and NC-modified polyurethane binder with different NC ratios were prepared.The prepared formulations were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),RAMAN spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction(XRD),electron densimetry,thermogravimetric(TG)analysis,and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).A kinetic study was then performed using the iterative KissingerAkahira-Sunose(It-KAS),Flynn-Wall-Ozawa(It-FWO),and non-linear Vyazovkin integral with compensation effect(VYA/CE)methods.The theoretical performances,such as theoretical specific impulse,adiabatic flame temperature,and ideal exhaust gaseous species,were also determined using the NASA Lewis Code,Chemical Equilibrium with Application(CEA).Spectroscopic examinations revealed the existence of NC and full polymerization of PU in the prepared propellants.According to density tests,the density of the propellant increases as the nitrocellulose component increases.According to the thermal analysis and kinetics study,the increase in NC content catalyzed the thermal decomposition of the AN-based composite solid propellants.Based on the theoretical study,increasing the amount of NC in the propellant increased the specific impulse and,as a result,the overall performance.

Energetic Opportunities of Solid Composite Propellants Containing Some Hypothetic Furazano-[3,4-d]-pyridazine-based Derivatives

Six furazano-[3,4-d]-pyridazine-based derivatives as main compounds in solid composite propellants have been investigated.It was shown that the use of some furazano-[3,4-d]-pyridazine-based derivatives as main compounds in solid composite propellants can considerably increase ballistic parameters compared with HMX if the compounds under consideration contain difluoramine groups.And the use of the compounds under consideration may be successful only in the presence of an active binder and 10%-30% of AP or ADN as additional oxidizers.

The effect of reactive plasticizer on viscoelastic and mechanical properties of solid rocket propellants based on different types of HTPB resin

Conventional plasticizers deteriorate mechanical and viscoelastic properties of the propellants due to their migration upon aging and long-term storage,which affects reliability and safety properties during exploitation.To address this issue,conventional plasticizer,dioctyl adipate(DOA),is replaced by reactive one,castor oil(CO).In addition,three different types of HTPB were used to obtain propellants with designed viscoelastic and mechanical properties.The CO increased propellants viscosity,without a significant impact on the propellant processability,regardless to the type of prepolymer.Conversely,mechanical properties were different depending on the type of resin,which were further analyzed by gel permeation chromatography(GPC).Addition of CO formed a denser polymer network and shifted T_(g) to higher values,compared to the compositions with DOA.The tensile strength of CO-containing propellants was lower at +20℃ and +50℃ compared to the reference compositions,while the strain at maximum load and strain at break were significantly increased with pronounced plastic deformation,especially for samples at -30℃.The inclusion of CO in the propellants composition gives more room for adjusting a wide range of mechanical properties.

Recent advances in catalytic combustion of AP-based composite solid propellants

Composite solid propellants(CSPs) have widely been used as main energy source for propelling the rockets in both space and military applications. Internal ballistic parameters of rockets like characteristic exhaust velocity, specific impulse, thrust, burning rate etc., are measured to assess and control the performance of rocket motors. The burn rate of solid propellants has been considered as most vital parameter for design of solid rocket motors to meet specific mission requirements. The burning rate of solid propellants can be tailored by using different constituents, extent of oxidizer loading and its particle size and more commonly by incorporating suitable combustion catalysts. Various metal oxides(MOs),complexes, metal powders and metal alloys have shown positive catalytic behaviour during the combustion of CSPs. These are usually solid-state catalysts that play multiple roles in combustion of CSPs such as reduction in activation energy, enhancement of rate of reaction, modification of sequences in reaction-phase, influence on condensed-phase combustion and participation in combustion process in gas-phase reactions. The application of nanoscale catalysts in CSPs has increased considerably in recent past due to their superior catalytic properties as compared to their bulk-sized counterparts. A large surface-to-volume ratio and quantum size effect of nanocatalysts are considered to be plausible reasons for improving the combustion characteristics of propellants. Several efforts have been made to produce nanoscale combustion catalysts for advanced propellant formulations to improve their energetics. The work done so far is largely scattered. In this review, an effort has been made to introduce various combustion catalysts having at least a metallic entity. Recent developments of nanoscale combustion catalysts with their specific merits are discussed. The combustion chemistry of a typical CSP is briefly discussed for providing a better understanding on role of combustion catalysts in burning rate enhancement. Available information on different types of combustion nanocatalysts is also presented with critical comments.

Effects of Metal and Composite Metal Nanopowders on the Thermal Decomposition of Ammonium Perchlorate (AP) and the Ammonium Perchlorate/Hydroxyterminated Polybutadiene (AP/HTPB) Composite Solid Propellant

Effects of metal (Ni, Cu, Al) and composite metal (NiB, NiCu, NiCuB) nanopowders on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and composite solid propellant ammonium perchlorate/hydroxyterminated polybutadiene (AP/HTPB) were studied by thermal analysis (DTA). The results show that metal and composite metal nanopowders all have good catalytic effects on the thermal decomposition of AP and AP/HTPB composite solid propellant. The effects of metal nanopowders on the thermal decomposition of AP are less than those of the composite metal nanopowders. The effects of metal and composite metal nanopowders on the thermal decomposition of AP are different from those on the thermal decomposition of the AP/HTPB composite solid propellant.

Simulation of the plasticizing behavior of composite modified doublebase(CMDB)propellant in grooved calendar based on adaptive grid technology

The frequent occurrence of safety accidents during the calendering process is caused by the flammable and explosive properties of composite modified double-base(CMDB)propellant.Optimization of process parameters with the aid of fluid simulation technology could effectively ensure the safety of the calendering process.To improve the accuracy of the simulation results,material parameters and model structure were corrected based on actual conditions,and adaptive grid technology was applied in the local mesh refinement.In addition,the rheological behavior,motion trajectories and heat transfer mechanisms of CMDB propellant slurry were studied with different gaps,rotational rates and temperatures of two rollers.The results indicated that the refined mesh could significantly improve the contour clarity of boundaries and simulate the characteristics of CMDB propellant slurry reflux movement caused by the convergent flow near the outlet.Compared with the gap,the increased rotational rate of roller could promote the reflux movement and intensify the shear flow of slurry inside the flow region by viscous shear dragging.Meanwhile,under the synergistic effect of contact heat transfer as well as convective heat exchange,heat accumulated near the outlet and diffused along the reflux movement,which led to the countercurrent heat dissipation behavior of CMDB propellant slurry.The plasticizing mechanism of slurry and the safety of calendering under different conditions were explored,which provided theoretical guidance and reference data for the optimization of calendering process conditions.Based on the simulation results,the safety of the CMDB propellant calendering process could be significantly improved with a few tests conducted during a short research and development cycle.

Technique to Assess Aging of Propellant Grain

Physical properties of composite propellants used in solid rocket motors change significantly with age. To predict the margin of safety and to reevaluate the remaining service life, the structural integrity analysis of solid propellant grains of aged rocket motors is performed at various stages of their life span. To have the reliable results from these analyses, it is mandatory to use the current physical properties of the propellant at the time of analysis. Change in physical properties due to aging is more significant at exposed surfaces. Traditional methods of assessing current physical properties may not truly rep resent the properties of the batch. The paper presents a novel technique to measure the stress strain response at the exposed surface of propellant grain using a miniature-testing device. This specially designed device is able to measure the stress response while the propellant surface is compressed at a constant rate. This measured stress strain behavior is then co-related with the physical properties measured by routine tensile tests of the similar type of propellant which is aged artificially. It is observed that there exists an excellent correlation between the measured stress values by the sensor and physical properties measured by uni-axial tensile test. This nondestructive technique provides properties of propellant grains of all the motors in the batch comprehensively. The technique is safe as well as economical as compared to the traditional methods.

Elaborative collection of condensed combustion products of solid propellants:Towards a real Solid Rocket Motor(SRM)operational environment

A novel constant-pressure and constant-quenching distance Condensed Combustion Products(CCPs)collection system was developed,coupled with a timing control system,to collect the CCPs formed in the course of burning of aluminum-based composite propellants.The effects of adiabatic graphite plating,collection zone,quenching distance,time series of collection,and propellant burning rate on the microscopic morphology,particle size distribution and unburned aluminum content of CCPs were investigated.It was verified that the graphite plating can provide a high-fidelity high-temperature environment for propellant combustion.The combustion efficiency is improved by 2.44% compared to the bare propellant case.The time series of collection has a significant effect on the combustion efficiency of aluminum,and the combustion efficiency of aluminum in the thermal state(1.2-2.4 s)is 2.75% higher than that in the cold state(0-1.2 s).Similarly,the characteristics of the CCPs in different collection zones are different.At the quenching distance of 5 mm,the combustion efficiency of aluminum in the core zone(85.39%)is much lower than that in the outer zone(92.07%),while the particle size of the CCPs in the core zone(172μm)is larger than that in the outer zone(41μm).This indicates that the core zone is more likely to produce large-sized and incompletely burned agglomerates during the propellant combustion process.Different burning rates also lead to a significant difference in particle size distribution and combustion efficiency.High burning rates result in higher combustion efficiency.A detailed sequence of the elaborative collection process of CCPs is proposed,mainly including the setting of ignition delay time,burning rate,working pressure,plating length and time series of collection.The findings of this study are expected to provide a reliable tool for the evaluation of the combustion efficiency of solid propellants.

Optimal structural design for a certain near-space composite propeller of airship using adaptive region division blending model

Near-space airship is a frontier and hotspot in current military research and development,and the near-space composite propeller is the key technology for its development.In order to obtain higher aerodynamic efficiency at an altitude of 22 km,a certain near-space composite propeller is designed as a long and slender aerodynamic shape with a 10 m diameter,which brings many challenges to the composite structure design.The initial design is obtained by the composite structure variable stiffness design method using based on fixed region division blending model.However,it weighs 23.142 kg,exceeding the required 20 kg.In order to meet the structural design requirements of the propeller,a variable stiffness design method using the adaptive region division blending model is proposed in this paper.Compared with the methods using the fixed region division blending model,this method optimizes region division,stacking thickness and stacking sequence in a single level,considering the coupling effect among them.Through a more refined region division,this method can provide a more optimal design for composite tapered structures.Additionally,to improve the efficiency of optimization subjected to manufacturing constraints,a hierarchical penalty function is proposed to quickly filter out the solutions that do not meet manufacturing constraints.The above methods combined with a Genetic Algorithm(GA)using specific encoding are adopted to optimize the near-space composite propeller.The optimal design of the structure weighs 18.831 kg,with all manufacturing constraints and all structural response constraints being satisfied.Compared with the initial design,the optimal design has a more refined region division,and achieves a weight reduction of 18.6%.This demonstrates that a refined region division can significantly improve the mechanical performance of the composite tapered structure.

The Use of Fractal for Prediction of Burning Rate of Composite Solid Propellants

By using the fractal geometry it is possible to calculate the actual AP (Ammonium Perchlorate) surface area and oxidizer-binder interface fractal dimension in the prediction of burning rate of composite solid propellants. In this investigation, the fractal dimension was determined by a procedure known as the "Box Counting Method". Using this dimension, surface area relations were developed for the rough particles. This method was implemented in the PEM (Petite Ensemble Model) burning rate model. The comparison of burning rates for a typical propellant by the PEM and fractal model shows that the burning rates obtained by using the fractal geometry are slightly less than those obtained by the PEM model.

Degradation of Disposal Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene Composite Solid Propellant

With the greatly increasing amount of discarded hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)propellant year by year,it is of high significance to study the safe,efficient and environmental processing method of disposal HTPB propellant.In this paper,the decomposition agents are formulated for degrading the waste composite solid propellant.It is found that the following formulations of butanone 25%-55%,xylene 30%-75%,deionized water 40%-45%have effective influence on the degradation of the waste composite solid propellant.The proper degradation time is found to be about 7-8 h.With the help of infrared spectrum analysis,scanning electron microscope imaging,thermogravimetric analysis and solvent viscosity test,it was proved that after degradation reaction on the propellant sometimes,a large number of irregular fractures occurred in bulk resulting from effective degradation.The characterization of the propellant after degradation showed that the hardness of the propellant decreased,the viscosity increased,and a large number of holes and cracks appeared on the surface.The results showed that the formulated degradation agent and degradation condition perform good degradation effects on HTPB solid propellant.

Global cavitation and hydrodynamic characteristics of a composite propeller in non-uniform wake

The composite propeller has attracted much interest due to its excellent mechanical properties such as high specific stiffness and high specific strength,hence there is an increasing interest in utilizing the composite materials to improve the hydrodynamic and structural performance of marine propellers.The objective of this paper is to study the cavitation performance of composite propellers based on the unsteady simulation method considering the cavitation-composite structure interaction.The typical cavitation patterns around the composite propeller are studied,which include blade sheet cavitation and tip vortex cavitation.The unsteady flow characteristics of tip vortex cavitation and structural dynamic response of composite propeller are studied,and the mechanism of composite propeller for the cavitation suppression and efficiency improvement is revealed.The results show that compared with rigid propellers,composite propellers have smaller cavity volume and higher propulsion efficiency under the same conditions.The unsteady cavitating flow characteristics under non-uniform wake are periodic,and the phase lag of hydrodynamic coefficients of composite propeller can be observed compared with that of the rigid propeller.The bending-torsional coupling deformation of the composite propeller makes the pressure pulsation of the flow field gentler,which reduces the influence of the cavitation load on the composite propeller.

Ballistic Properties of Some Low Solid Loading Butalites Formulations

The ballistic properties of a low solid loading composite solid propellant family （Butalites） was studied experimentally by using propellant formulations based on hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene pre-polymer （HTPB） as fuel binder main backbone, mono and bi-modal system ammonium perchlorate oxidizer （AP）, copper chromite （CC） as burning rate accelerator and aluminum powder （A1） as metallic fuel. Higher pressures and AP contents as well as smaller AP particle size were found to increase burning rate. The same behavior verified with AI and CC addition. A significant increase of burning rate was recorded when CC added to the aluminized formulations compared with the non-aluminized of the same oxidizer solid loading and particle size.

Combustion Properties of Some High Solid Loading Butalites Compositions

The combustion （ballistic） properties of a high solid loading composite solid propellant family （Butalites） was studied experimentally by using propellant formulations based on hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene pre-polymer （HTPB） as a fuel binder main backbone, bimodal system ammonium perchlorate oxidizer （AP） and aluminum powder （AI） as metallic fuel. Burning rates were doubled at various pressures, when solids loading （AP and 17% A1） were increased from 80 to 88% and the measured characteristic velocity values were increased by about 100m/sec. The pressure exponent （n） values were lower with 80-85% solids loading. The burning rates were increased by about 2-5% when comparing the data obtained by static firing with those obtained by the strand burner method.

Finite element method for viscoelastic medium with damage and the application to structural analysis of solid rocket motor grain

This paper studies the damage-viscoelastic behavior of composite solid propellants of solid rocket motors(SRM).Based on viscoelastic theories and strain equivalent hypothesis in damage mechanics,a three-dimensional(3-D)nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive model incorporating with damage is developed.The resulting viscoelastic constitutive equations are numerically discretized by integration algorithm,and a stress-updating method is presented by solving nonlinear equations according to the Newton-Raphson method.A material subroutine of stress-updating is made up and embedded into commercial code of Abaqus.The material subroutine is validated through typical examples.Our results indicate that the finite element results are in good agreement with the analytical ones and have high accuracy,and the suggested method and designed subroutine are efficient and can be further applied to damage-coupling structural analysis of practical SRM grain.