Thermal Studies on Boron-Based Initiator Formulation.

Abstract

Boron-potassium nitrate pyrotechnic composition can be converted into a hot wire-sensitive initiator formulation by the addition of an extra fuel. viz. lead thiocyanate. The ignition temperature of this composition depends on the percentage of thiocyanate in the mix and follows a binomial fit. The kinetic parameters. viz. activation energy E and pre-exponential factor A of the charge have been calculated from TG and DSC curves using different approaches developed by Coats-Redfern and Kissinger. Ignition delays measured from isothermal TG runs were found to yield equally good values of E and A. A comparison of these values for the tricomponent system' with those of the bicomponent systems as well as of the ingredients suggests that the starting reaction in this formulation is the reaction between lead thiocyanate and potassium nitrate which energises the main reaction between boron and potassium nitrate. leading to ignition.