Propellant compositions comprising nitramine oxidants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a high energy-containing propellant composition and a use thereof. The propellant composition of the present invention is a propellant composition for guns, including: (a) 55 to 85 wt % of a nitrocellulose binder; (b) 10 to 35 wt % of a nitramine oxidant; (c) 1 to 4 wt % of a plasticizer having both a nitrate group and a nitramine group; and (d) 0.5 to 3 wt % of a stabilizer. The propellant composition of the present invention significantly improves a physical compatibility between the nitrocellulose binder and the oxidant using a plasticizer containing both a nitrate group and a nitramine group, leading to stable interior ballistics characteristics from low temperature to high temperature as well as improvement on the characteristics of an extrudate. Accordingly, the propellant composition of the present invention may be effectively applied to an ammunition for guns due to an excellent physical property and interior ballistic stability thereof.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application No. 10-2016-0018434, filed on Feb. 17, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a high energy-containing propellant composition and a use thereof.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Propellants for use in guns are composed of various components, and for propellant compositions developed in the past, there were numerous compositions using materials which are toxic or suspected of causing cancer. There is a tendency that hazardous materials are not used in propellant compositions being recently developed. Among additives frequently used so far, diphenylamine (DPA) is toxic enough to cause inhibition of erythrocytopoiesis, spleen injury, and so on, and suspected as a carcinogen, which is a stabilizer of an oxidant ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present inventors have developed a propellant composition that can be used in guns. This composition includes a small amount of a plasticizer with both a nitrate group and a nitramine group. The composition improves the compatibility between nitrocellulose and a nitramine oxidant, resulting in excellent extrusion characteristics without bubble generation or clogging of perforation holes. When applied to ammunition, the composition imparts stable interior ballistics characteristics from low to high temperatures for high-performance ammunition.

Problems solved by technology

There is a tendency that hazardous materials are not used in propellant compositions being recently developed.

Dinitrotoluene (DNT) has an extremely high toxicity to destroy erythrocytes, and butyl phthalate (DBP) is used as a plasticizer, irritates the eyes, the skin, and the like, and causes nausea when inhaled.

However, since the single base propellants do not satisfy the requirements of the weapon system which requires an increase in muzzle energy, a double base propellant composition has been developed, which is produced by adding to nitrocellulose an energetic plasticizer such as nitroglycerin having an energy group in the molecular structure.

In the double base propellant composition, the energy of the propellant is much higher than that of the single base propellant, but there is a problem that the double base propellant composition is vulnerable to bullet impact, fire outbreak, and the like.

Further, in that a phenomenon in which an energetic plasticizer such as nitroglycerin is precipitated on nitrocellulose occurs due to the migration of energetic plasticizer when time elapses, there has been a problem in that interior ballistics characteristics are changed.

However, in a case that a nitramine solid oxidant is added to a nitrocellulose, the physical compatibility of the nitrocellulose having a nitrate group with the solid oxidant having a nitramine group is so insufficient that a phenomenon in which bubbles are generated or the surface of an extrudate splits occurs when the propellant shape is designed and extruded.

In addition, the mechanical strength of the prepared propellant is so insufficient that when the propellant is environmentally treated at normal temperature, high temperature or low temperature and discharged, a sharp increase in pressure is likely to occur.

In particular, the propellant is damaged at low temperature when the strength thereof is insufficient, and the pressure in the gun barrel is sharply increased because of the increase of burning surface of the propellant due to the damage, thereby making it difficult to use the propellant in a low-temperature environment.

When the plasticizer is precipitated on the surface of the propellant in this manner, there occurs a problem that interior ballistics characteristics of the propellant are changed.

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