Research on Solid Propellant for MEMS-Based Solid Propellant Micro-thruster

The solid propellant, which composed of lead styphnate and additives (ammonium chlorate (AP) and nitrocotton (NC)), was investigated in order to obtain a kind of solid propellant that could be used in MEMS-based solid propellant micro-thruster. Based on the principles of Gibbs minimum free energy, the investigation of energetic characteristics showed that these additives could obviously increase the theoretical specific impulse and adiabatic combustion temperature of solid propellant. The results of thermal decomposition of solid propellant investigated by DSC showed that these additives could improve the total apparent decomposition heat of lead styphnate at normal atmospheric pressure and the effect of pressure on the thermal decomposition of solid propellant could not be neglected. The results of ignition tests showed that the solid propellant could not be ignited when the weight percentage of lead styphnate in solid propellant was lower than 85 % at input direct current power of 1100 mW. Finally, the optimal formula of solid propellant was: lead styphnate 85 %, AP 7.5 %, NC 7.5 %.