Effect of nanostructured foamed porous copper on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

• FPCu with nanostructures was prepared by electrodeposition.
• Recrystallization of AP in FPCu resulted in large contact area of them.
• The endothermic peak of AP crystal transition disappeared from DSC curve.
• The exothermic events of FPCu/AP occurred ahead of AP crystal transition temperature.

A simple composite of foamed porous copper (FPCu) and ammonium perchlorate (AP) was prepared by filling AP into FPCu via solvent evaporation method. FPCu was prepared by galvanostatic electrodeposition. FESEM images showed that FPCu was structured with copper dendrites of sub-micrometers or nanometers. The filled AP recrystallized around copper dendrites. In this way, AP had a high contact area with FPCu. To investigate the effect of FPCu on the thermal decomposition of AP, DSC-QMS was employed to trace the thermal effects of the composite and examine the gas products. The results showed that the catalyzed reaction occurred in Tammann temperature region (216–289 °C) of AP and the endothermic peak of AP crystal transition disappeared. The amount of the gas products was negligible due to their absorption and oxidation on Cu atoms. Eventually, FPCu was entirely oxidized into cupric oxide by the intermediates and gas products.