Combustion of potassium dinitramide and its binary mixtures with nitroester binder

Steady-state combustion of potassium dinitramide (KDN) and binary mixtures of KDN with a nitroester-based energetic binder has been studied in a constant-pressure bomb in 0.1–15 MPa pressure interval. The thermal stability has been examined under nonisothermal conditions by means of TGA and DSC analyses. The temperature distribution in the combustion wave of the mixtures has been measured by using thin tungsten–rhenium thermocouples. The results obtained allowed conclusion that the observed increase in the burning rate on addition of KDN to the nitroester-based binder was caused by increasing temperature of the first flame zone and corresponding increase in the heat release rate.