Burn rate enhancement of ammonium perchlorate–nitrocellulose composite solid propellant using copper oxide–graphene foam micro-structures

Burn rate enhancement of a composite solid propellant, AP–NC (Ammonium Perchlorate–Nitrocellulose) was demonstrated experimentally by coupling to 3-D, highly conductive, interconnected, porous and CuO-functionalized GF (graphene foam) micro-structures. The pure GF micro-structures were first synthesized using a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) technique and then functionalized with the transition metal oxide CuO using a hydrothermal approach. The CuO-functionalized GF micro-structures significantly enhanced the burn rates, up to 7 times the bulk value, which was attributed to the combined physical (increased thermal transport) and chemical (enhanced thermal decomposition) effects. TG (thermogravimetric) and DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) analysis showed the activation energy of AP–NC was lowered by 22% with the use of the CuO-functionalized GF structures.