Catalytic Activity of Cu-BTC (HKUST-1) toward Ammonium Perchlorate Decomposition and Combustion

Ammonium perchlorate (AP), as a key component of solid propellants, exhibits inherent limitations in combustion efficiency due to its high thermal decomposition temperature and slow decomposition process. To address this, this study synthesized a copper-based metal-organic framework (Cu-BTC) catalyst via a simple solvothermal method. AP/Cu-BTC composites with varying loading levels (1–5 wt%) were prepared, and their effects on AP thermal decomposition, combustion behavior, and catalytic mechanisms were systematically investigated. Results indicate that Cu-BTC significantly enhances the decomposition performance of AP, with a 1% loading demonstrating optimal effects. At a heating rate of 10K/min, the peak temperature of AP's high-temperature decomposition decreased by 119.5°C, the apparent activation energy decreased by 94.4 kJ/mol (-39.8%), and the total heat release increased by 396.1 J/g (+85.7%). Combustion tests revealed that pure AP could not be directly ignited, whereas the addition of Cu-BTC enabled successful ignition. The combustion intensity and duration varied significantly with catalyst loading. Catalytic performance exhibits non-monotonic variation with loading levels, and excessive loading leads to a decline in efficiency due to mass-transfer blockage. The remarkable enhancement in AP performance stems from the synergistic interaction between Cu-BTC's rapid mass transfer capability (derived from its ultra-high specific surface area) and the catalytic function of its Cu²⁺ active sites (facilitating proton/electron transfer). This study offers a novel perspective on precisely regulating solid propellant combustion performance through catalyst structural design and loading optimization.