Propellant stabilizer

Abstract

The invention relates generally to propellant stabilizers. The invention also relates to methods of producing a propellant comprising a propellant stabilizer as well as an ammunition cartridge comprising the stabilized propellant. The propellant stabilizer comprises a compound of formula 1 and the propellant comprises a compound of formula 1 and an energetic material.

1 . A propellant comprising:
 an energetic material; and   a compound of formula 1   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein
 R 1  is selected from the group consisting of H, —OH, —O(C 1-4 alkyl), —C 1-4 alkyl, —NHC 1-4 alkyl, —N(C 1-4 alkyl) 2 , —NO 2 , —NHNH 2 , —N(C 1-4 alkyl)NH 2 , and —CN; 
 R 2  is selected from the group consisting of —H, —OH, —O—(C 1-4 alkyl), —C 1-4 alkyl, —NHC 1-4 alkyl, —N(C 1-4 alkyl) 2 , —NO 2 , —NHNH 2 , —N(C 1-4 alkyl)NH 2 , and —CN; 
 R 3  is selected from the group consisting of —H and —C 1-4 alkyl; and 
 R 4  is selected from the group consisting of —H, —OH, —O(C 1-4 alkyl), —C 1-4 alkyl, —NHC 1-4 alkyl, —N(C 1-4 alkyl) 2 , —NO 2 , —NHNH 2 , —N(C 1-4 alkyl)NH 2 , and —CN; 
 
       wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2  and R 4  is OH; 
       and wherein the compound of formula 1 is dispersed evenly throughout the energetic material. 
     
     
         2 . The propellant according to  claim 1 , wherein the energetic material is in the form of granules. 
     
     
         3 . The propellant according to  claim 1 , wherein the energetic material is selected from the group consisting of black powder, ammonium perchlorate, hexogen, butanetrioltrinitrate, ethyleneglycol dintrate, diethyleneglycol dinitrate, erithritol tetranitrate, octogen, hexanitroisowurtzitane, metriol trinitrate, N-methylnitramine, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, tetranitrobenzolamine, trinitrotoluene, nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose, mannitol hexanitrate, triethylene glycol dinitrate, guanidine, nitroguanidine, 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one, ammonium nitrate, propanediol dinitrate, hexamine, 5-aminotetrazole, methyltetrazole, phenyltetrazole, polyglycidylnitrate, polyglycidylazide, poly[3-nitratomethyl-3-methyloxitane], poly[3-azidomethyl-3-methyloxitane], poly[3,3-bis(azidomethyl)oxitane], nitrated cyclodextrin polymers, poly glycidylnitrate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The propellant according to  claim 1 , wherein the energetic material is nitrocellulose. 
     
     
         5 . The propellant according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula 1 is 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-one. 
     
     
         6 . The propellant according to  claim 1 , further comprising a graphite layer. 
     
     
         7 . A method of preparing a propellant according to  claim 1 , comprising dispersing the compound of formula 1 evenly throughout an energetic material and granulating the energetic material. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the granules of energetic material are formed by forming a slurry or dough of the energetic material and the compound of formula 1, extruding the slurry or dough of the energetic material and the compound of formula 1 to form an extrudate cord and cutting the extrudate cord. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the compound of formula 1 is 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-one. 
     
     
         10 . An ammunition cartridge comprising a propellant according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The ammunition cartridge according to  claim 10 , further comprising a casing, a primer and a projectile.