Influence of Carbon Nanofibers on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of NC-TEGDN-RDX Triple-Base Gun Propellants

Triple-base gun propellants composed of nitrocellulose (NC), triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN) and cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) with carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were studied to explore the effects of CNFs on the thermal and mechanical properties. The results indicated that CNFs with less than 0.50 wt % were evenly and randomly dispersed in the propellant, otherwise there existed obvious aggregation. Temperatures of initial decomposition and exothermic peak reduced with the increase of NCFs from 0.00 to 3.00 wt %. Decomposition enthalpy of the composites with 0.50 wt % NCFs was 1214.6 J g −1 , increased by ∼131.4 J g −1 compared to that of NC-TEGDN-RDX propellants. Moreover, the mechanical properties were effectively tailored by varying the amount of CNFs added to the composition. Decomposition enthalpy of the propellant with 0.25 wt % CNFs were hardly compromised for achieving enhancement in the compressive and impact properties, while the tensile strengths decreased slightly compared to that of the propellants.