The Role of MoO3 and Fe2O3 in the Thermal Decomposition of Ammonium Perchlorate

Abstract

The effect of addition of MoO3 and Fe2O3 as well as mixtures of the two oxides (calcined in air at 500 °C) on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) was studied using thermogravimetry (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetric analysis (DTG). The catalysts calcined at 500 °C were characterized using TPR, XPS and XRD techniques. The surface area of the catalysts was determined by means of the conventional BET method. The results are discussed in terms of the recently published mechanism in which nitryl perchlorate is supposed as an intermediate in the thermal decomposition of pure AP. The correlation between the surface area and activity of the catalysts in the thermal decomposition of AP has been done. The activation energy (∆E) for non-catalyzed and catalyzed high-temperature thermal decomposition of AP were calculated from the TGA results using the Coats-Redfern equation.