Computational Determination of the Specific Impulse of Solid Rocket Propellant Compositions of closo-Dodecaborate ([B₁₂H₁₂]2‒) Salts with HTPB Binder and Ammonium Perchlorate as an Oxidizer

Boron (B) powder in elemental form is a very attractive high-energy material and it is a metalloid chemical element. B powder has the second highest heat of explosion of any element that can be adopted as an energetic material in dealing with propellants and explosives. In practical situations, B has problems with ignition and combustion due to the formation of a B₂O₃ layer on its surface. B cannot burn easily; it requires ultra-pure oxygen during the combustion process and also undergoes agglomeration due to which incomplete combustion of the B particles in the propellant composition occurs. Hence in order to address these issues, we introduced closo-dodecaborate ([B₁₂H₁₂]2‒) salts into a solid rocket propellant composition instead of B powder. In the present work, three solid rocket propellant compositions based on closo-dodecaborate salts were theoretically investigated. The specific impulse (Isp) was calculated for three closo-dodecaborate [B₁₂H₁₂]2‒ based propellant compositions using the EXPLO5 code version V6.03. The performance values of the closo-dodecaborate [B₁₂H₁₂]2‒ salts based propellant compositions were compared with those of pure aluminium (Al)-based composite propellant. Using the EXPLO5 code (V6.03); hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and ammonium perchlorate (NH₄ClO₄, AP) were used as binder and oxidizer respectively. closo-Dodecaborate salts-HTPB-AP formulations have good theoretical performance; it was observed that the presence of a closo-dodecaborate salt in the propellant composition can lead to very good performance, and they are potential candidates as fuels and/or fuel additives in propellant compositions for missile and rocket applications.