Energetic materials and their influence on the energy-output of propellants

A review, with 4 refs., of the calcn. of energy output of gun propellant formulations, and attempts to increase the energy of gun propellants using new energetic components. Calcns. were carried out with the ICT computer code based on the virial equation of state with the second and third virial coeffs. and taking into account the oxygen balance, enthalpy of formation, and loading d. Addnl. components discussed include energetic plasticizers, nitramine propellants, and binder systems (e.g., polybutadiene, glycidyl azide polymer, cellulose acetate butyrate, etc.). The performance of these LOVA-propellants was discussed in connection with heat of formation, the oxygen balance, and the polymeric binder system. Finally, energetic compounds such as NTO, CL 20, TNAZ, ANTA and ammonium dinitramide were calcd. using the ICT Thermodyn. Code.