Solid Propellant Binders

Abstract

Solid propellants are widely used in modem rockets and missiles. Although the history of solid rockets could be traced to the discovery of gunpowder over a thousand years ago, the technology could be perfected only by the later half of the 20^th century. The failure of gunpowder rockets was largely due to the unknown consolidating technique of the powder composition. The emergence of large solid propellant motors had to await the dawn of polymer science and

technology(S&amp;T). Specific syntheses of functionally terminated polymers having cross-linking capability led to the emergence of casting technology of solid composite propellants. This review describes the various polymeric fuel/binder systems used or considered for use in solid propellants. It includes a brief background, advantages, and shortcomings of the various systems, an account of the currently used binders and a critical survey of the advanced polymers envisaged for future usage. Special emphasis has been laid on recently synthesized polymers having <i>N-N</i> bonds in their structures, and on the

feasibility of developing smokeless propellants based on ammonium nitrate.