Analysis on the Effects of Nano-Aluminium on Rocket Propellants

The application of Aluminum nanoparticles for rocket solid propellants similar to Aluminum microparticles has advantages and disadvantages. Rocket solid propellants for space applications are composite materials, constituted by the major part of an oxidation agent (an inorganic salt as ammonium perchlorate AP); a metallic filler being a good fuel (aluminum powder) and an organic binder (typically a polymeric matrix as hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene HTPB). In the present study, the characterization of Al nanopowder, their effects on rocket solid propellants performance and combustion formulation evaluated using SEM and BET methods. Also some series of propellant that contains different formulation were studied, in order to evaluate the effects of using nanoparticles instead of microparticles, non-homogeny of Al dispersion and the effect of residence time on stable combustion velocity. The results of investigation indicated that the stable combustion velocity increased by decreasing Al particles size and using newer nanoparticles instead of older one.