BURNING RATE CHARACTERISTICS OF GAP PROPELLANTS

The burning rate and flame structure of glycidyl azide polymer (GAP)-based composite propellants were examined in order to obtain a wide spectrum of burning rates. Crystalline fine particles of ammonium perchlorate, cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine, or triaminoguanidine nitrate, were mixed within GAP to formulate GAP propellants. Since GAP is an energetic self-sustaining combustible polymer, the burning rate characteristics of GAP propellants appeared to be fundamentally different from those of conventional composite propellants. Measured results indicate that the burning rate, pressure exponent, temperature sensitivity, and flame structure depend largely on the concentration of the crystalline additives. The observed burning rate characteristics were correlated with the concentration of the crystalline particles.