Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity of CdO nanocrystals

In this paper, we report the synthesis of nanocrystalline cadmium oxide (CdO) and its characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Its catalytic activity was investigated on the thermal decomposition of 1,2,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane (HMX), ammonium perchlorate (AP), hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and composite solid propellants (CSPs) using thermogravimetric analysis (TG), simultaneous thermogravimerty and differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC) and ignition delay measurements. Kinetics of thermal decomposition of AP + CdO has also been investigated using model free (isoconversional) and model-fitting approaches which have been applied to data for isothermal TG decomposition. All these studies show enhancement in the rate of decomposition of AP, HTPB and CSPs but no effect on HMX. The burning rate of CSPs has also been found to be increased with CdO nanocrystals.