Solid propellant compositions having epoxy cured, carboxy-terminated rubber binder
AssigneeHercules Incorporated
InventorsDonald E. Elrick, Harry Gilbert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Solid propellant compositions wherein the polymeric binder is an all-epoxide cured carboxy-terminated rubber are described. A typical composition contains oxidizer, fuel and a binder formed by curing a carboxy-terminated polybutadiene with a specified mixture of a diepoxide and triepoxide using chromium 2-ethylhexanoate as catalyst.
Claims6
A solid propellant composition comprising a solid oxidizer and a polymeric binder formed by reacting an uncured carboxy-terminated rubber with, as sole curing agent, a mixture of difunctional epoxides and trifunctional epoxides wherein the diepoxide:triepoxide mole ratio in said mixture is 15:1 to 1:1, in the presence of a curing catalyst selected from the group consisting of a chromium salt of an aliphatic carbon acid containing 2 to 22 carbon atoms, chromium naphthenate and vanadium naphthenate, the ratio of epoxy groups in said mixture to carboxyl groups in said binder being in substantially stoichiometric proportions.
A method for preparing a solid propellant composition which comprises forming a blend of solid oxidizer, uncured carboxy-terminated rubber, and, as sole curing agent, a mixture of difunctional epoxides and trifunctional epoxides having a diepoxide:triepoxide mole ratio of 15:1 to 1:1, the ratio of epoxy groups in said mixture to carboxyl groups in said blend being in substantially stoichiometric proportions, and then curing the blend in the presence of a curing catalyst selected from the group consisting of a chromium salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid containing 2 to 22 carbon atoms, chromium naphthenate and vanadium naphthenate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.