Effect of Oxidizer Particle Size on Burning Rate and Thermal Decomposition of Composite Solid Propellants

Abstract

Studies on Thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorarte(AP)- polystyrene(PS) propellant and burning rate of PS/AP propellant have been carried out as a function of oxidizer particle size. Thermal decomposition of AP and AP/PS propellant as function of AP particle size shows a maximum rate around 100 micro particle size which has been explained on the basis of Mample's theory. No such maximum is observed in the case of PS/AP propellant burning rate.