Ammonium Perchlorate Replacement for Propellants

Solid propellant formulations used for rockets and missiles typically are comprised of a mixture of oxidizer, fuel, and binder. The most abundantly used oxidizer is Ammonium Perchlorate (AP), which offers excellent performance in solid propellant compositions. In spite of this, AP has drawbacks related to environmental and other concerns, and much effort is being put forth to replace this oxidizer component with alternate non-perchlorate oxidizer materials. However, to date no suitable replacement in terms of performance, safety, cost, etc. has yet been found. In this project, TDA Research Inc. proposes new perchlorate-free ingredients for use as the oxidizer ingredients in solid propellant formulations. Our new materials will be scalable, reproducible, safe and have the right performance properties and Insensitive Munitions (IM) characteristics to replace AP in solid propellant formulations. The new ingredients will be prepared, characterized chemically and thermally, and screened for sensitivity and safety. Solid propellants with the new ingredients will be formulated and produced in small batches for further testing, including thermochemical and performance characterizations. The results obtained will guide a successful program for manufacture of the new propellant formulations using the new oxidizer ingredient, followed by insertion into a missile defense application. Approved for Public Release | 22-MDA-11215 (27 Jul 22)