An Investigation of Nonreactive Surface Coatings for Use in Solid Propellant Arc-Image Ignition Studies.

摘要

The objective of this research program was to evaluate the feasibility of coating the propellant surface with an opaque, nonreacting material to eliminate this difficulty in interpretation of test results. The effect of the coating would be to reduce absorption of radiant energy beneath the propellant surface and provide a uniform surface absorptivity for different propellants. Radiant flux levels considered for this study were selected to indicate the effectiveness of coatings over a range of 30 to 130 cal/sq cm -sec. Both rubber-base and double-base propellants were tested. Results of this program indicate that zirconium carbide and tungsten carbide can be used as nonreactive coatings in arc-image furnace testing. However, certain anomalies were observed that might indicate that propellant ingredients and coating materials can interact and influence the ignition energy requirements in specific heating ranges. (Author)