Energetics of Propellants and Explosives

Extensive studies on the formation of energetic materials have been carried out to formulate high-energy propellants and explosives. Polymeric materials that act as fuels and oxidizers are composed of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen atoms. The materials used as propellants and explosives are classified into two types: energetic materials consisting of chemically bonded oxidizer and fuel components in the same molecule, and energetic composite materials consisting of physically mixed oxidizer and fuel components. Molecules in which fuel and oxidizer components are chemically bonded within the same structure are suitably predisposed for the formulation of energetic materials. Since the energetics of nitropolymer propellants composed of NC-NG or NC-TMETN are limited because of the limited concentration of oxidizer fragments, some crystalline particles are mixed within these propellants in order to increase the thermodynamic energy or specific impulse. Black powder is a typical granulated propellant used for small-scale rockets, guns, and fireworks.