Use of carbon fibrils to enhance burn rate of pyrotechnics and gas generants

A method for enhancing the burn rate in propellants and pyrotechnics compositions comprising the steps of:

• (a) obtaining an energetic composition selected from the group consisting of propellants and pyrotechnics, wherein the energetic composition contains from about 0.1 to about 2 weight percent conductive carbon fibrils having substantially continuous layers of ordered carbon atoms having an outside diameter in the range from about 3.5 nanometers to about 75 nanometers which are catalytically grown and having a distinct inner core region, each of the carbon layers being disposed substantially concentrically about the inner core region, wherein the carbon fibrils are catalytically grown and substantially free of pyrolytically deposited thermal carbon and wherein the carbon fibrils have a length in the range from about 1.mu. to about 10.mu.;
• and
• (b) burning the energetic composition such that the burn rate of the energetic composition is increased at least 20% compared to the energetic composition without said carbon fibrils.