Large-scale production of (2,4-DHB)nM micro-nano spheres by spray drying and their application as catalysts for ammonium perchlorate

•Synthesis and performance of the (2,4-DHB)nMs catalysts for AP thermal decomposition were investegated.•The correlation between PSD and PC of the samples in spray-drying process were well fitted with power function.•Their catalytic performances on AP thermal decomposition showed that they can effectively lower the decomposition temperature of AP except for 2,4-DHBA2Pb.

A series of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoates {(2,4-DHB)nMs, M = Pb(II), Cu(II), Fe(III), Ni(II) and Co(II), n = 2 or 3} micro-nano spheres with controllable size and morphology were successfully prepared by spray drying method with water or acetone as a solvent. TEM and SEM illustrated that the (2,4-DHB)nMs micro-nano spheres had core–shell or solid structure. The formation of the core–shell structure of the samples was interpreted in terms of the mechanism of spray drying. The results of laser particle analyzer revealed that precursor concentration (PC) and particle size distribution (PSD) of the samples were well fitted with power function. The thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) in the presence of the (2,4-DHB)nMs micro-nano spheres, investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), showed they effectively lowered the decomposition temperature of AP and exhibited various catalytic performance for AP decomposition.

Graphical abstractSynthesis and performance of the (2,4-DHB)nMs catalysts for AP thermal decomposition were investigated. The correlation between PSD and PC of the samples in spray-drying process were well fitted with power function. Their catalytic performances on AP thermal decomposition showed that they can effectively lower the decomposition temperature of AP except for 2,4-DHBA2Pb. Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide