"Advanced Nitrate-Type Solid Propellants"

James Taylor, Ph.D.

James Taylor, Ph.D.
 Nobel Research Labs, Imperial Chemical Industries (UK)

The best book we've seen for amateur rocketeers interested in working with ammonium nitrate and other advanced oxidizers.  Comprehensive, accurate, and highly-detailed.

"Advanced Nitrate-Type Solid Propellants" is an in-depth study of ammonium nitrate, guanidine nitrate, and nitroguanidine as oxidizers for cool- and slow-burning gas generating compositions, and their use in rocket motors, pressurizing systems, engine starters, and a variety of highly unusual applications. 

This volume is based on more than three decades of projects at the Nobel Research Labs of Imperial Chemical Industries (UK) by Dr. James Taylor and associates. Includes one of the best analyses of ammonium nitrate burn chemistry, a subject not widely understood among propellant developers.

The text balances theory, formulae, and applications engineering.  Abundant data is given on numerous highly esoteric compounds suitable for nitrate-based propellant formulae.  While all the necessary equations and reactions are explained in great detail, this book is still quite easy for moderately advanced "amateur" rocket experimenters to understand and benefit from.

Potassium nitrate-based formulae are also investigated, as well as nitrocellulose-type propellants.  Extensive information is provided regarding the thermochemical reactions of ammonium nitrate and guanidine nitrate with numerous fuels, burn rate additives, catalysts, and binders.

To round out the content, chapters are also devoted to power cartridges, gas-powered torpedoes, initiating and high explosives, fuses and delay trains, percussion caps, electric ignition, gasless reactions, and test operations.  Plates and illustrations cover such items as a model helicopter operated by solid propellant motors, and a self-heating soup can.

All in all, this remains one of the very best books on advanced nitrate-based solid propellants of the "pre-composite era."  The most useful single book on charges based on guanidine nitrate with polynitrophenols and polynitrosophenols, such as are used in Jetex pellets and Coffman aircraft starter cartridges.

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CONTENTS

Chapter 1:  Self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions
Chapter 2:  Gunpowder and pyrotechnics
Chapter 3:  Explosives
Chapter 4:  Initiating explosives
Chapter 5:  Propellants
Chapter 6:  Low-temperature gas-producing reactions based on nitrites, and the "Hydrox" blasting device
Chapter 7:  Ammonium nitrate, guanidine nitrate, and nitroguanidine compositions
Chapter 8:  Rocket motors
Chapter 9:  Solid charges for rockets and propulsion
Chapter 10:  Power cartridges
Chapter 11:  Gasless reactions

(Originally published as "Solid Propellent and Exothermic Compositions" in 1959.)

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Book reviewed here.

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