Studies on Some Nitramine based Low Vulnerability Ammunition Propellants with Cellulose Acetate as a Binder

Several formulations of propellants based on RDX as an energetic solid ingredients and cellulose acetate (CA) as a binder were processed using either dioctyl pthalate(DOP) or tracetin(TA) as plastisizer and a small amount of nitrocellulose(NC). The Performance of these propellants was evaluated on the basis of closed vessel firing data. The vulnerability aspects of these formulations were compared with those of conventional picrite propellant, NQ on the basis of their ignition temperatures and sensitivity to friction and impact. Triacetin was found to be better plasticizer than DOP for CA binder. Some RDX/CA/TA/NC/-based propellants were found to have energy levels comparable with NQ propellant and had less sensitivity to heat, impact and friction, and therefore have the potential for being used as low-vulnerability ammunition propellants for gun applications