Reaction Kinetics Model of Surface‐Denitrated Spherical Gun Propellant.

Gun propellant with progressive burning performance plays an important role in improving the comprehensive performance of barrel weapon. At present, surface‐denitrated gun propellant prepared by removing energetic functional groups (−ONO2) directionally in the surface layer of gun propellant, is an original progressive burning gun propellant. In this study, the reaction kinetics of denitration process of spherical gun propellant was established by a simple weighing method based on the shrinking unreacted core kinetic model (SUCK model) of solid‐liquid reaction. The SEM was used to obtain the change of the cross‐sectional microstructure of spherical gun propellant before and after the denitration reaction, confirming the core‐shell structure of surface‐denitrated spherical gun propellant. Then, the denitration reaction rate of spherical gun propellant was studied under different denitration reaction temperatures and reaction times. Meanwhile, the Arrhenius formula was used to calculate the activation energy of the denitration reaction. The results showed that the denitration reaction of spherical gun propellant was controlled by the diffusion of denitration solution in the solid product layer and the value of the apparent activation energy (Ea) is 105.7 kJ ⋅ mol−1. This work not only establishes the kinetic model of surface‐denitrated spherical gun propellant but also provides a theoretical and practical basis for the controllable and efficient preparation of surface‐denitrated gun propellant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]