In this review, an attempt to collect the summarised data of literature on catalytic effect of nano-oxides, such as mono oxides, mixed oxide, binary and ternary ferrites and rare earth metal oxides on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) is made. Influence of size effect of oxides on thermal decomposition of AP and comparison of bulk and nanosized oxides is also discussed here. Several experimental results revealed that due to small size and large surface area nanosized metal oxides are more potential catalysts on thermal decomposition of AP compared to their bulk size oxides.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17458080.2010.517571

Nano-metal oxide: potential catalyst on thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

Mesoporous β-MnO2 has been prepared, characterized and demonstrated to possess excellent catalytic activity in the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate. The observed unprecedentedly low decomposition temperatures, fast reaction rates and enhanced heat releases in the catalysed formulations make mesoporous β-MnO2 promising as a high-performing ballistic modifier in AP-based composite solid rocket propellants.

Exceptional activity of mesoporous β-MnO2 in the catalytic thermal sensitization of ammonium perchlorate

Synthesis and characterization of α-Fe2O3 mesoporous using SBA-15 silica as template and investigation of its catalytic activity for thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate particles

In this research, the catalytic effects of nano-Co3O4 with diverse average particle sizes and specific surface area on thermal decomposition property of ammonium perchlorate (AP) particles were investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry analysis techniques were used to evaluate the coating quality and thermal decomposition property of AP/Co3O4 nanocomposites. The primary evaluations of the results show that the catalytic effects will be increased by decreasing average particle sizes of nano-Co3O4. Also, kinetic parameters of thermal decomposition reaction AP/Co3O4 nanocomposites were calculated by Kissinger, Friedman and Ozawa methods. However, nano-Co3O4 with the smallest average particle size (10–30 nm) and the highest specific surface area (50–150 m2 g−1) has the most significant catalytic effect including decrease in decomposition temperature of AP/Co3O4 nanocomposite by 160 °C, increase in the heat of decomposition from 540 to 1182 J g−1 and decrease in activation energy from 179 to 126 kJ mol−1.

Feiquan Liu

Papers

Catalytic thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate using manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieve (OMS)