US2025236569A1PendingUtilityA1

Lead-free Ballistic Modifier for Rocket Motor Propellants

66
Assignee: LOUPE NEILIPriority: Jan 18, 2024Filed: Jan 18, 2024Published: Jul 24, 2025
Est. expiryJan 18, 2044(~17.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Neili LoupeGregory W. DrakeJamie B. Neidert
C06B 23/007C06B 23/006C06B 25/20
66
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Claims

Abstract

A method of using cerium metal complexes/compounds to modify the burning rate of solid rocket motor propellants by preparing a double-based propellant composition including cerium metal ion.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of using cerium metal complexes/compounds to modify and control the burning rate of solid rocket motor propellants comprising the steps of preparing a double-based propellant composition comprising an admixture of nitrocellulose, energetic plasticizer for nitrocellulose, inert plasticizer for nitrocellulose, a thermal stabilizer, burning rate modifiers including cerium metal complexes/compounds, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cerium metal complexes/compounds are selected from the group consisting of cerium (III) salicylate, cerium (IV) oxide, cerium (III) oxalate, cerium (III) carbonate and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the cerium metal complexes/compounds are combined with at least one of copper salt compounds, bismuth salt compounds and tin salt compounds. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the cerium metal complexes/compounds are combined with carbon black. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energetic plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of: nitrate esters of polyhydric alcohols, nitramines, glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) plasticizer, glycidyl azide and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the nitrate esters of polyhydric alcohols are selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin (NG), butane triol trinitrate (BTTN), diglycerol tetranitrate (DGTN), diethylene glycol dinitrate (DEGDN), triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN), trimethylolethane trinitrate (TMETN) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the nitramines are selected from the group consisting of: N-Methyl-N-(2-nitroxyethyl)nitramine (MeNENA), N-Ethyl-N-(2-nitroxyethyl)nitramine (EtNENA), N-Butyl-N-(2-nitroxyethyl)nitramine (BuNENA) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inert plasticizers comprise simple esters with alkyl carbon chains ranging from C1 to C20. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inert plasticizers comprise liquidous, carbon chains with low water solubility and plasticization for cellulose and being selected from the group consisting of from C2 to C10 and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the simple esters are selected from the group consisting of (R′—O—C(═O)—R—C(═O)—O—R′), (R′—C(═O)—O—R—O—C(═O)—R″) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the simple esters are selected from the group consisting of 1) a combination of a) linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl, or phenyl polyol (—OH functionality n>2) condensed with b) one to n equivalents of n-alkyl, n-alkoxy, alkenyl, alkynyl, or aryl carboxylate esters; and 2) a combination of a) n-alkyl or n-aryl polycarboxylic groups condensed with b) one to n equivalents of pendant O—R alkyl or aryl groups. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of: 2-nitrodiphenylamine (2-NDPA), symmetrical diethyl diphenyl urea, diphenylamine, methyl ethyl diphenyl urea, resorcinol and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A composition of a lead-free solid rocket motor propellant that controls the burning rate while reducing toxicity by utilizing cerium compounds instead of lead to reduce toxicity; the propellant comprising the following components: an admixture of nitrocellulose, energetic plasticizer for nitrocellulose, inert plasticizer for nitrocellulose, a thermal stabilizer, burning rate modifiers including cerium metal complexes/compounds, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the metal complexes/compounds in the burning rate modifiers are selected from the group consisting of cerium (III) salicylate, cerium (IV) oxide, cerium (III) oxalate, cerium (III) carbonate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the cerium metal complexes/compounds are combined with at least one of copper salt compounds bismuth salt compounds and tin salt compounds. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the cerium metal complexes/compounds are combined with carbon black. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the energetic plasticizers are selected from the group consisting of nitrate esters of polyhydric alcohols, nitramines, glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) plasticizer, glycidyl azide and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the nitrate esters of polyhydric alcohols are selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin (NG), butane triol trinitrate (BTTN), diglycerol tetranitrate (DGTN), diethylene glycol dinitrate (DEGDN), triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN), trimethylolethane trinitrate (TMETN), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the nitramines are selected from the group consisting of N-Methyl-N-(2-nitroxyethyl)nitramine (MeNENA), N-Ethyl-N-(2-nitroxyethyl)nitramine (EtNENA), N-Butyl-N-(2-nitroxyethyl)nitramine (BuNENA), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the inert plasticizers comprise simple esters with alkyl carbon chains selected from the group consisting of from C1 to C20 and combinations thereof 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein alkyl carbon chains in the inert plasticizers have having liquidous, low water solubility, and plasticization properties for nitrocellulose are selected from the group consisting of from C2 to C10 and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein the simple esters in the inert plasticizers are selected from the group consisting of (R′—O—C(═O)—R—C(═O)—O—R′), (R′—C(═O)—O—R—O—C(═O)—R″), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein the simple esters of the inert plasticizers are selected from a group consisting of 1) a combination of a) linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl, or phenyl polyol (—OH functionality n>2) condensed with b) one to n equivalents of n-alkyl, n-alkoxy, alkenyl, alkynyl, or aryl carboxylate esters; and 2) a combination of a) n-alkyl or n-aryl polycarboxylic groups condensed with b) one to n equivalents of pendant O—R alkyl or aryl groups. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 13  wherein the thermal stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of 2-nitrodiphenylamine(2-NDPA), symmetrical diethyl diphenyl urea, diphenylamine, methyl ethyl diphenyl urea, resorcinol, and combinations thereof.

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