Analysis of burning rate phenomena and extinguished solid propellants froman interrupted closed bomb with plasma igniter

The morphological and chemical characterization of M30 propellants recovere d after conventional and plasma ignition with polyethylene (PE) and polyeth ylene terephthalate (Mylar) in an interrupted closed bomb (extinguished at pressures between 35 and 100 MPa) has been performed, This work was underta ken to investigate mechanisms associated with the apparent burning rate aug mentation of M30 under conditions of plasma ignition compared to convention al ignition. Burning rate augmentation of solid propellants with plasma ign ition was found to occur during, but not after, the plasma event. The follo wing factors are evidence of a more forceful process for plasma ignition co mpared to conventional ignition: a) the initial pressure rise was greater w ith plasma ignition; b) metals from the closed bomb hardware, and stripping of NQ from M30 propellants was observed in the perforations; C) irregular surface burning (possibly due to ablation) and hot embedded particles have been observed in grains after plasma, but not conventional, ignition. Exten sive chemical analyses of extinguished grains have been performed, but no s ignificant differences were revealed between plasma and conventional igniti on, quite possibly because any early chemical interactions are obscured by normal burning processes occurring later.