Castable double base solid rocket propellant containing ballistic

Abstract

Castable propellant formulations are provided including reduced toxicity ballistic modifiers that do not adversely increase the sensitivity of the propellant to shock detonation. Failure to adequately control the propellant burn rate often results in unacceptable performance of the propellant. Carbon can act as an effective ballistic, but not to the extent of metal compounds. It has been found that pasting a ballistic modifier, including ballistic modifiers containing lead, in an inert polymer modifies the burn rate of propellants while allowing the use of a reduced amount of modifier to achieve the same desired burn rate modification as the prior art, and therefore creating reduced shortcomings associated with the ballistic modifiers. Accordingly, the use of from about 1% to about 6% burn rate modifier wherein the burn rate modifier includes a ballistic modifier pasted in an inert polymer is taught as an effective burn rate modifier in a propellant, in order to provide reduced toxicity means for modifying the propellant burn rate without increasing the sensitivity of the propellant to shock detonation.