Unraveling the role of ammonium perchlorate on the thermal properties and degradation kinetics of NPS-DEGDN energetic composite

Double-base energetic composites have garnered substantial attention, particularly in aerospace, rocket, and missile applications. This class of materials offers diverse burning rates, high specific impulses, exceptional operational performance, and robust mechanical properties. In this study, we present a novel energetic composite produced by integrating ammonium perchlorate (AP) into a double-base energetic matrix composed of potato nitrostarch (NPS) and diethylene glycol dinitrate (DEGDN). The optimal composition of AP@NPS-DEGDN was determined through theoretical performance calculations using CEA-NASA program. The structural and morphological properties of the obtained composite were analyzed using FTIR and SEM techniques. The results indicated that the addition of AP did not modify the chemical structure of the baseline composite NPS-DEGDN. The thermal analysis by TGA revealed that the incorporation of 50 wt.% of AP enhanced the decomposition of the NPS-DEGDN matrix, while the NPS-DEGDN matrix simultaneously promoted the decomposition of AP. The DSC results indicated that the decomposition peak temperatures of the AP@NPS-DEGDN composite shifted to lower values, compared to the NPS-DEGDN matrix, highlighting the synergistic catalytic effect between the ingredients with an increase in heat release during the decomposition. Finally, the impact of various compounds on the thermal decomposition kinetics of AP@NPS-DEGDN was investigated using advanced model-free kinetic approaches, which revealed a significant reduction in the activation energy barrier, confirming the pronounced catalytic effect across the different decomposition stages of AP@NPS-DEGDN. These findings underscore the potential of the developed AP@NPS-DEGDN composite as a promising candidate for advanced energetic applications.