3D Hierarchically ordered porous carbon entrapped Ni nanoparticles as a highly active catalyst for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

The thermal decomposition behavior of ammonium perchlorate (AP) directly influences the combustion performance of the composite solid propellants (CSPs). To enhance the effective thermal decomposition of AP, a highly active catalyst was prepared by entrapping Ni nanoparticles (NPs) inside three-dimensional hierarchically ordered porous carbon (3D HOPC). The obtained HOPC/Ni nanohybrid possessed interconnected porous structures, a high specific surface area (996 m2 g-1), large pore volume (1.43 cm3 g-1), and highly dispersed Ni NPs. To investigate the catalytic activity of the HOPC/Ni nanohybrid for AP thermal decomposition, an AP/HOPC/Ni nanocomposite was synthesized by homogeneously confining AP nanocrystals into the HOPC/Ni nanohybrid to form a high contact area. Because of the synergistic effect between the 3D HOPC and Ni NPs as well as the size effect of the AP nanocrystals, the HOPC/Ni nanohybrid decreased the high-temperature decomposition (HTD) peak temperature of AP by 136.1 °C and increased the heat release from 371 to 2681 J g-1, demonstrating better catalytic activity than the individual 3D HOPC and Ni NPs components. It can be foreseen that the HOPC/Ni nanohybrid may be a promising, highly active catalyst that meets the development needs of AP-based CSPs.