Studies of burning rate and pressure exponent of a new combustion catalyst derived from p-phenylene

This contribution describes the determination of the internal ballistic properties of tubular into the use of homobimetallic iron compound derived from p-phenylene ([{Cp*Fe}2-p-Ph’]) as a burning rate modifier in solid heterogeneous rocket propellant. The solid heterogeneous rocket propellants based on hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and ammonium perchlorate (AP) with 0.3%wt Fe2O3 (named Propellant 1) and 0.3%wt [{Cp*Fe}2-p-Ph’] (named Propellant 2) content in the propellant composition were prepared and investigated. The ballistic parameters of the examined propellants were determined by combustion in a laboratory rocket motor. The ballistic properties were evaluated in the pressure range 7–30 MPa. It was found that the linear burning rate was increased for propellants 1 and 2 in comparison to propellant without the modifier. Determinations of the tensile and decomposition temperature of the propellants 1 and 2 were also investigated. Comparatively lower n-value was observed for composition containing propellant 2 than for propellant 1 and HTPB-based propellant without the modifier.