Crystal habit modification of ammonium perchlorate by ethylene glycol

Ammonium perchlorate (AP)-based composite propellant has been widely used as a solid propellant, but higher burning rates are in demand. We report that crystal-habit-modified AP is an effective oxidizer that increases the burning rates of propellants. The modified APs have a dendritic shape. However, dendritic AP is not convenient to mix and cast in an AP/binder slurry because of its high viscosity. We attempted to prepare a crystal-habit-modified AP with polygon or sphere form. The crystal habit of AP was modified by ethylene glycol such that the intensity of the lattice plane (2 1 0) of the modified AP was remarkably high. The shape was almost hexahedral, and the mean particle diameter was approximately 150 μm.