Performance characteristics of nitramine‐based gun propellants with TEGDN as energetic plasticizer

Abstract This study mainly explored the performance characteristics of nitramine‐based (NB) gun propellants using TEGDN as an energetic plasticizer by experimental method. Three series of NB gun propellant samples with RDX, HMX or CL‐20 were prepared referring to the formulation of JA2 gun propellant. Their thermochemical characteristics, explosion heat, chemical stability and compatibility, impact, friction and electrostatic spark sensitivities, and compressive strength were determined by various instruments. The experimental results indicated that the NB gun propellant samples with RDX have lower decomposition temperature, and those with CL‐20 have higher thermogravimetric loss. Three series of NB gun propellant samples have good chemical stability and compatibility, and their explosion heat is close to that of JA2 gun propellant, but their sensitivity is lower than that of JA2 gun propellant. The maximum stress of three series of NB gun propellant samples decreases with increasing cyclic nitramine (RDX, HMX or CL‐20) content, and their compressive strength is better than that of JA2 gun propellant.