Experimental, Modeling, and Sensitivity Analysis Studies of Gas-Phase Reaction Mechanisms Important to the Combustion of High Energy Density Materials

Abstract : Newly developed energetic polycyclic nitramines and energetic polymers have the potential to offer significant energy density and plume signature advantages over current state-of-the-art propellants in strategic, tactical rocket and gun propulsion. The proposed program will provide a tool which can be used not only for interpreting experimental results, but for predicting quantitatively the effects of changing propellant design. Potential benefits include reductions, both in expensive laboratory and full scale testing, and in the time required for successful development. The development of such a model will require a fundamental quantitative understanding of the elementary chemical and physical processes in the gas, liquid and solid phases of propellant ignition and combustion.