Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
6th International Eurasian Conference on Science, Engineering and Technology (EurasianSciEnTech 2025), Ankara, Türkiye, 25 - 27 Haziran 2025, ss.118, (Özet Bildiri)
This study focuses on enhancing the performance of conventional aluminum fuel used in solid rocket propellants by incorporating a suitable catalyst into the propellant composition. In solid propellants, the combustion of metallic fuel occurs through the presence of an oxidizer, most commonly ammonium perchlorate (AP). The decomposition of AP releases oxygen, which facilitates the combustion of the metallic fuel. Therefore, accelerating the decomposition of the oxidizer is crucial for improving the overall combustion efficiency of the propellant system. To achieve this, a catalyst with an oxide structure containing oxygen vacancies, specifically samarium-doped ceria (SDC20), was selected due to its potential to promote AP decomposition. Since the preparation method of the catalyst significantly influences its catalytic activity, SDC20 was synthesized using various techniques. The synthesized catalysts were then incorporated into model propellant formulations to evaluate their effectiveness in enhancing AP decomposition. The catalytic effect was assessed via thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), focusing on the change in the activation energy of AP decomposition. Typically, the high temperature decomposition activation energy of pure ammonium perchlorate ranges between 200–250 kJ/mole. With the incorporation of SDC20 catalysts, this value was successfully reduced to approximately 130-150 kJ/mole, indicating a notable improvement in thermal decomposition behavior. The findings of this study highlight the critical role of catalyst synthesis methods in tailoring the thermal characteristics of oxidizers in solid rocket propellants. The optimized catalyst not only improves the decomposition kinetics of AP but also contributes to the development of more efficient and responsive propulsion systems. This research offers a promising approach to advancing solid propellant technology through rational catalyst design.