Influence of energetic materials on the energy-output of gun propellants

Methods for the formulation and prepn. of improved gun propellants contg. high energetic compds. are described in a review on the authors work with 4 refs. In addn. thermodynamical data such as flame temp., mole no., mean mol. wt., heat of explosion and specific energy were discussed, which were of main influence for the energy-output of energetic materials. In connection with the improvement of performance, a list of components was established useful for the increase of energy without increasing the sensitivity of the propellant. The thermodn. parameters of different propellant formulations was calcd. for the replacement of conventional plasticizers by several energetic plasticizers. Nitramine propellants manufd. using different binder systems were investigated in a closed bomb to evaluate the energy-output and in addn. the reaction products by gas anal. The performance of these propellants was discussed in connection with heat formation, oxygen balance and the kind of polymeric binde r systems. To assess the energy output of different energetic compds. their properties were calcd. by the ICT-thermodn. code.