Detonation properties of ammonium perchlorate/nitramine-based composite propellants

Ammonium perchlorate (AP)/nitramine propellants can be used in commercial and military applications. Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) and cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX) were used as nitramine sources. This study investigated the detonation properties of AP/nitramine propellants to assess their detonation hazard. The detonation velocities (D) of the propellants increased with the mass of nitramine per unit propellant volume (ρN). An approximate equation was derived from the relationship between D and ρN. The dominant factors that can be used to estimate the detonation/no-detonation boundaries of the propellants were identified, and the experimental boundary equations were determined using the plots of ρN and the propellant density.