Preparation and Characterization of Metalized JP-10 Gel Propellants with Excellent Thixotropic Performance

摘要

The preparation and characterization of a series of D-gluconic acetal supramolecular organic gelators (Gn) which can form gel with high-energy density hydrocarbon fuel JP-10 are reported. Rheological measurements show G8 gel exhibits strong mechanical strength at a concentration of 2wt%, while G18 gel has a remarkable yield stress. What's more, JP-10 gels show thixotropy with high viscosity, especially for the G8-based gel, which has an instantaneous recovery ratio. The CGC (critical gelator concentration) of G8 is less than 0.1wt%, known as a super gelator. More interestingly, G18 can gel JP-10 at room temperature, which is the first example of room temperature gel propellant formed by a supramolecular gelator. Nano accelerants (Al, B) are dispersed into the gel propellant system, which can be stable for months. The presence of 50nm Al powder in G8-based gel can significantly increase its mechanical strength, yield stress and viscosity, as well as thixotropy.