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Kinetic deuterium isotope effects in the combustion of nitramine propellants. Final report, October 1986-July 1988. [HMX and RDX]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6549026

The deuterium isotope effect was used to investigate the rate-limiting process in the combustion of nitramine propellants. Model propellant formulations containing either octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), or their deuteriated analogues were pressed into pellets and burned under nitrogen pressure in a window bomb. The magnitudes of the observed deuterium isotope effects indicate that the HMX and RDX exert significant control over the burning process of the studied propellants. Furthermore, assuming a consistent mechanism between decomposition and combustion, the observed isotope effects suggest that a carbon-hydrogen bond rupture in HMX and RDX is the rate-controlling process in the combustion of the model nitramine propellants.

Research Organization:
Air Force Astronautics Lab., Edwards AFB, CA (USA)
OSTI ID:
6549026
Report Number(s):
AD-A-199760/0/XAB; AFAL-TR-88-072
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English