Synthesis and Characterization of a High Energy Combustion Agent (BHN) and Its Effects on the Combustion Properties of Fuel Rich Solid Rocket Propellants

A high energy combustion agent (tetraethylammonium decahydrodecaborate, BHN) was prepared by means of an ion exchange reaction (IER), and the prepared samples were characterized by the advanced diagnostic techniques of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) etc. The effects of BHN particles on the hazard and combustion properties of fuel rich solid propellants were investigated. The results showed that the BHN samples and fuel rich propellants containing BHN particles can be prepared successfully and solidified safely. The peak temperature of thermal decomposition and the heat of decomposition of the BHN samples prepared were 305.8 °C and 210.9 J•g-1 at a heating rate of 10 K•min-1, respectively. The burning rate and pressure exponent of fuel rich solid propellants decreases with increases in the fraction of BHN particles in the propellant formulation. Compared with the reference formulation (sample BP-1), the burning rate of the propellant with 10% mass fraction of BHN particles (sample BP-4) had decreased 30% at 3.0 MPa, and the pressure exponent had dropped from 0.44 to 0.41.