Royal Ordnance Plc

Ian A Duncan

Thomas B Downes

Nitrocellulose propellant compositions are provided comprising as ballistic modifier a copper II complex of a C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 chain aliphatic carboxylic acid, advantageously in conjunction with one or more conventional ballistic modifiers for example, lead or copper compounds such as lead stearate, lead acetophthalate, lead .beta.-resorcylate and basic copper salicylate. The preferred complex is copper II caproate. The propellant compositions exhibit good quality plateau or mesa burning over a useful pressure range for a wide range of energy and burning rates. The copper II complexes are especially advantageous in cast double base propellants particularly because their solubility in the organic solvents used facilitates their incorporation into these compositions.

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Ayrshire, United Kingdom

Ian A Duncan