Dynamic Combustion of Functionally Graded Additively Manufactured Composite Solid Propellant

What is it about?

Different propellant formulations were successfully additively manufactured into three layers (~1 mm) for the first time. The inner layer consisted of a faster burning propellant (either enhanced with nanoaluminum or iron oxide) and the outer layers consisted of baseline ammonium perchlorate composite propellant. The combustion of the layered propellants was studied and compared to the combustion of traditional single formulation propellants. The results of this study can be used to inform the design of propellants composed of different formulations (functional grading) at fines scales and can be used to enhance the performance of gun propellants and solid rocket motors in the future.

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