Process for the manufacture of high performance gun propellants

A process for manufacturing a high performance gun propellant containing an energetic thermoplastic elastomeric binder and a high-energy oxidizer comprising the steps of:

• (a) obtaining a molding powder comprising high-energy oxidizer particles coated with the energetic thermoplastic elastomeric binder, wherein the high-energy oxidizer has a concentration in the range from 70% to 85%, by weight, and the energetic thermoplastic elastomeric binder has a concentration in the range from 15% to 30%, by weight, wherein the molding powder has a particle size in the range from 200 .mu. to 2000 .mu., wherein the energetic thermoplastic elastomeric binder is selected from the group consisting of poly-NMMO (nitratomethyl-methyloxetane), GAP (polyglycidyl azide), poly-BAMO (poly(bis(azido-methyl)oxetane)), poly-AMMO (poly(azidomethyl-methyl-oxetane)), poly-NAMMO (poly(nitraminomethyl-methyloxetane)), poly-BFMO (poly(bis(difluoroaminomethyl)oxetane)), poly-DFMO (poly(difluoroaminomethylmethyl-oxetane)), and copolymers and mixtures thereof, wherein the high energy oxidizer is at least one selected from CL-20 (2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazatetracyclo-›5.5.0.0.sup.5,9. 0.sup.3,11 !-dodecane), RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane), HMX (1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane), TEX (4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4, 10-diazatetracyclo›5.5.0.0.sup.5,9.0.sup.3,11 !dodecane), NTO (3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one), NQ (nitroguanidine), TATB (1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene), TNAZ (1,3,3-trinitroazetidine), ADN (ammonium dinitramide), and DADNE (1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitro ethane);
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• (b) extruding the molding powder with an extruder having a barrel and a die to form an extruded gun propellant;
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• (c) rolling the extruded gun propellant into at least one gun propellant sheet.