Propellant composition and methods of preparation and use thereof

• US 20060272754A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Estes-Cox Corp.
• Original Assignee: Estes-Cox Corp.
• Inventors: Brown, Edwin Duane, Dixon, Scott James, Tunick, Barry Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/215,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20060272754A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 149/19.400
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 23/007 Ballistic modifiers, burning rate catalysts, burning rate depressing agents, e.g. for gas generating
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/10 the organic component containing a resin

Abstract

The invention relates to propellant compositions comprising a solid inorganic perchlorate oxidizing agent, a nitrogen-containing fuel, and a burn rate catalyst. Such compositions may be used as a propellant material, (e.g., in rocketry), a pyrotechnic material, an explosive material, a light generating material, a heat generating material, or a sound generating material.

Claims

1. A rocket engine comprising:

a case having a tensile strength of less than about 5,000 KPa; and

a composite propellant grain disposed in the case, the composite propellant grain comprising an oxidizer, a burn rate catalyst, and a binder comprising a vinyl resin, and a polyfunctional ether.

2. The rocket engine of claim 1, wherein the burn rate catalyst is acicularly-shaped.

3. The rocket engine of claim 2, wherein the burn rate catalyst comprises iron oxide.

4. The rocket engine of claim 1, wherein the oxidizer comprises potassium perchlorate.

5. The rocket engine of claim 1, wherein the polyfunctional ether comprises a triglycidyl ether.

6. The rocket engine of claim 5, wherein the triglycidyl ether comprises a polyepoxide resin.

7. The rocket engine of claim 6, wherein the binder further comprises an amide.

8. The rocket engine of claim 7, wherein the amide comprises dicyandiamide.

9. The rocket engine of claim 1, wherein the vinyl resin comprises a hydroxyl-functional polymer selected from the group consisting of vinylchloride, vinylacetate, hydroxyalkylacetate, and mixtures thereof.

10. The rocket engine of claim 1, wherein the case has a bursting strength of less than about 1,000 KPa.

11. The rocket engine of claim 1, wherein the case comprises paper or paperboard.

12. The rocket engine of claim 1, wherein the case is comprised of a material that is free of metals or metal alloys.

13. The rocket engine of claim 1, wherein the composite propellant grain comprises:

an oxidizer consisting essentially of potassium perchlorate;

a burn rate catalyst consisting essentially of acicularly-shaped iron oxide nanoparticles; and

a binder consisting essentially of a vinyl resin and a triglycidyl ether cross-linked with dicyandiamide.

14. A method of preparing a pressable composite propellant formulation comprising:

mixing a vinyl resin, a vegetable oil, and a solvent to provide a binder mixture;

adding a burn rate catalyst to the binder mixture;

adding an amide to the binder mixture; and

reducing the solvent from the binder mixture to about 7 wt % to provide a mixed formulation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the vegetable oil comprises epoxidized castor oil.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the vinyl resin comprises a hydroxyl-functional polymer selected from the group consisting of vinylchloride, vinylacetate, hydroxyalkylacetate, and mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the burn rate catalyst comprises acicularly-shaped iron oxide nanoparticles.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the amide comprises dicyandiamide.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the solvent comprises an ester.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the solvent comprises ethyl acetate.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising an act of drying the burn rate catalyst prior to performing the act of adding the burn rate catalyst to the binder mixture.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising an act of extruding the mixed formulation to form pellets thereof.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising an act of drying the pellets to reduce the amount of solvent present therein.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising an act of encasing at least one pellet in a case comprising a case material having a tensile strength of less than about 2,000 KPa.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the case material has a specific gravity of less than about 2.