Reaction Kinetics of Mixed Nitrate Gun Propellant in the Denitration Strategy

ABSTRACT Gradiently denitrated mixed nitrate gun propellant (GDMP) is a novel combustion‐progressive gun propellant prepared through the denitration strategy. The preparation of GDMP is complex, and investigation into the denitration kinetics of its energetic components is essential for ensuring the stable and controllable performance of GDMP. In this work, the mixed nitrate gun propellants were denitrated using hydrazine hydrate, and the preparation of GDMPs was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and Raman spectrometer. The heat of the explosion and the compositional content of these gun propellants were determined using the adiabatic bomb calorimeter and liquid chromatography. Theoretical calculations were conducted to ascertain the average nitrogen content in nitrocellulose (NC) within the GDMPs. On this basis, kinetic analysis of the denitration process in mixed nitrate gun propellants has been conducted, resulting in the determination of the reaction rate constants and apparent activation energies for the three energetic components. At 80°C during denitration, the reaction rate constants for NC, nitroglycerin (NG), and triethylene glycol dinitrate are determined to be 14.4 × 10 −4 , 61.1 × 10 −4 , and 26.6 × 10 −4 min −1 , respectively. The results indicate that NG exhibits the fastest denitration reaction rate among the energetic components in the mixed nitrate gun propellant. This work provides significant references for the efficient and precise preparation of multi‐base gun propellants with combustion progressivity.