Mechanism of catalysis in combustion waves of modern ballistite propellants

The effect of 12 catalysts that contain iron, lead, and nickel oxides, cobalt, potassium, copper, sulfur, and lead compounds, and soot additives on the structure and parameters of the combustion-wave zones for nitramine-containing ballistite propellant at pressures of 20, 50, and 100 atm is studied by a thermocouple technique. The many-parameter conversion of combustion waves by the catalysts is described in the form of matrixes of changes of the main combustion-zone parameters introduced by the catalyst. The zones in which these catalysts act are shown, and the magnitudes of the action are found. The resulting zone parameters make it possible to separate four regimes of catalytic action in the combustion wave: normal, blowing-off, compensation, and gas-phase. It is found that the significant increase in the combustion rate is generally caused by the increase in subsurface heat release in the c-phase and heat release on the burning surface. The reactivity series of these catalysts is given. It is shown that the combustion-wave parameters for catalyzed nitramine-containing ballistite propellants can obey unified laws.