Synthesis of Ethylbutacene as a Novel Burning Rate Catalyst

Most state-of-the-art composite solid propellants (CSPs) are composed of a combination of chemical ingredients, namely, hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB; prepolymer), adiisocyanate (curative), plasticizer, antioxidants, a burningrate modifier, a catalyst, and an ammonium perchlorate (AP)oxidizer [1,2]. The cured polymer, in addition to being a fuel, acted as a binder for the particulate AP to achieve good mechanical properties. Among various types of catalysts, transition-metal oxides, ferrocene, and ferrocene–derivatives [3,4] have been widely used to enhance the Burning rates of CSPs.