Effect of Cobalt-doped Carbon Nanotube Composites (Co/CNTs) on the Properties of High-Energetic Oxidizer DAP-4

(H 2 dabco) [NH 4 (ClO 4 ) 3 ] (DAP-4) is a multi-ionic energetic material with strong oxidizing and detonation capabilities, but its high decomposition temperature (380 °C) limits its practical use. Cobalt-doped carbon nanotube composites (Co/CNTs) with different Co loadings (0.05, 0.5, 5 mmol) were hydrothermally prepared. Their morphologies and structures were characterized, and the influence of Co/CNTs-(1-3) on the thermolysis process and combustion performance of DAP-4 was comprehensively examined. Among them, Co/CNTs-2 exhibited the strongest catalytic activity in terms of DAP-4′s thermal decomposition and combustion. It decreased the activation energy by 57.1 kJ/mol and the decomposition temperature by 32.2 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the combustion heat of DAP-4/Co/CNTs-2 was 14947 kJ/kg, which was significantly more than that of DAP-4. The addition of Co/CNTs increased the flame area and intensity of DAP-4 while shortening the flame duration and accelerating the energy release rate.