Effect of catocene on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate and octogen

Simultaneous TG/DSC-FT-IR was employed to study the effect of catocene with a high concentration (5, 15, and 25 %) on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and octogen (HMX) with different particle sizes. The experimental results show that catocene has effect on the thermal decomposition of AP and HMX, but the role that catocene playing changes with the concentration of catocene and the particle size of AP and HMX. High concentration of catocene (more than 15 %) benefits the decomposition of fine AP and HMX at low temperature, but has little effect on the decomposition of median and coarse AP. The thermal decomposition of HMX is affected by catocene mainly through increasing the heat release of the first decomposition step, while through both increasing the heat release and decreasing the decomposition temperature of the first decomposition step for the thermal decomposition of AP.