Evaluation of Mono and Bimetallic Ferrocene-Based 1,2,3-Triazolyl Compounds as Burning Rate Catalysts for Solid Rocket Motor

We reported mono and bimetallic ferrocene-based 1,2,3-triazolyl compounds as potential burning rate catalysts in their neutral and ionic forms. All complexes reported here were characterized using 1H and 13C NMR, elemental analysis, and Mössbauer spectroscopy, which was performed for neutral and oxide compounds. The complexes present quasireversible redox potentials with higher oxidative ability than ferrocene and catocene under the same conditions. The complexes were tested as catalysts on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and examined by a differential scanning calorimetry technique to gain further knowledge about their catalytic behavior. Compound 1 causes a decrease of the high-temperature decomposition (HTD) of AP positively, decreasing the decomposition temperature of AP to 345 °C and consequently increasing the energy release to 1939 J·g-1. We took the residues from the pans after testing from the DSC to elucidate the underlying reaction pathways. We obtained the size of the nanostructures formed after thermal decomposition of AP determined by the TEM technique. The diameter and size distribution of iron oxide nanoparticles formed depend on the alkyl sidechain of the triazolium ring, which induces the formation of nanoparticles with a double diameter and size distribution compared to their neutral analogues, suggesting that the possible intermediate for the mechanism degradation of AP by ferrocene derivatives is nanoscale Fe2O3 or similar oxides.