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Gun propellant
Gun Propellants
© DetTX (2024)

Why are there so many additives in gun propellants?

Gun propellants are all based on nitrocellulose (NC). Propellants containing principally NC are known as single base propellants, in double base propellants nitroglycerine (NG) is added to the NC and in triple base propellants nitroguanidine (NQ) is added for even higher energy. The highest energy propellants contain nitramines such as RDX and are sometimes referred to as quadruple base propellants. So what about all the other stuff? Nitrocellulose is made by nitrating either wood pulp or cotton linters, and is inherently unstable. Every gun propellant therefore contains a stabilizer to prevent its spontaneous explosive decomposition. NC's fibrous nature means that it needs to be combined with gelatinizers and plasticizers in order to be formed into homogeneous propellant grains. In addition, propellants may contain burning rate modifiers (deterrents) and smoke and/or flash reducing compounds, and other chemicals which modify the propellants performance, see Table 1. In addition most propellants have traces of moisture or solvents such as ethyl alcohol or acetone as residues from the manufacturing process.

Reduce Hygroscopicity
Stabilizers
Plasticizer
Deterrent
Reduce Flame Temperature
Reduce Flash
Reduce Bore Erosion
Increase Electrical Conductivity
Control Burning Rate
Source of Oxygen
Retards Ignition
Increases Ignitability
Moisture Proof Coating
Decoppering
Nitroglycerin X X X X
Nitroguanidine X X X
Dinitrotoluene X X X X X X
Dibutylphthalate X X X X X X X
Diethylphthalate X X X
Diphenylamine X
Ethyl Centralite X X X X X X X X X
Methyl Centralite X X X X X
Barium Nitrate X
Potassium Nitratee X
Potassium Perchlorate X X X
Potassium Sulfate X
Tin and/or Lead X
Carbon Black X
Graphite X
Cryolite X
2-Dinitrophenylamine X X
Triacetin X X

Table 1. Common additives to NC based propellants
3 U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42

Using this table

Name : You can search for specific compounds using the search box below the name.

Formula :You can filter by type of explosive, for example, using the keyword Melt will bring explosive used in melt pour operation to the top of the list.

Pseudo Formula : This is the chemical formula for the complete composition based on a molecular weight of 100. Hovering over the formula shows the constituents of the compound and their proportion (when known) It also shows the higher precision values for the pseudo formula. Typing a term in the search box will filter on this term, for example , if you want to find all compositions that use BDNPA/F type it in this box.

Principle ingredients : NC, NG, NQ & RDX are the most common energetic compounds found in Propellants today. Click on the arrow to sort by constituent or alternatively you can use mathematical operators to filter a certain range of values.

NameUsed onPseudo Formula (100g)NCNGNQRDXρ0 (g/cm3)F (J/g)T0(°K)PMax(MPa)Gas MW b (cm3/g)γ (CP/CV)
M1Single
C2.4528H2.8442N0.9680O3.4588Pb0.0037NC (13.2%N) ........85.0%
DPA.................1.0%
DNT................10.0%
Dibutylphthalate....5.0%
Lead Carbonate......1.0%
0.0567C2.4528H2.8442N0.9680O3.4588Pb0.0037
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
85.0%---1.57
1U.S. Army Materiel Command, 1965 p.151
898 2417
1U.S. Army Materiel Command, 1965 p.151
0 22.06 846 1.259
M2Double
C1.8596H2.2986Ba0.0054N1.0547O3.6744NC (13.3%N) ......77.5%
NG.................19.5%
Ethyl Centralite....0.6%
Barium Nitrate......1.4%
0.0597C1.8596H2.2986Ba0.0054N1.0547O3.6744
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
77.5%19.5%--1.65
1U.S. Army Materiel Command, 1965 p.151
1060 2417 0 25.64 773 1.224
M5Double
C1.9160H2.3056Ba0.0054K0.0074N1.0481O3.6849NC (13.3%N) .......82.0%
NG..................15.0%
Ethyl Centralite.....0.6%
Barium Nitrate.......1.4%
Potassium Nitrate....0.8%
Graphite.............0.3%
0.0596C1.9160H2.3056Ba0.0054K0.0074N1.0481O3.6849
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
82.0%15.0%--1.65 1045 2417 0 25.41 762 1.226
M6Single
C2.3745H2.7333N0.9882O3.4928NC (13.2%N) ........87.0%
DPA.................1.0%
DNT................10.0%
Dibutylphthalate....3.0%
0.0571C2.3745H2.7333N0.9882O3.4928
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
87.0%---1.58 934 2417 0 22.56 828 1.254
M7Single
C1.7284H2.1350Cl0.056K0.0563N1.0269O3.6568NC (13.2%N) ............54.6%
NG......................35.5%
Ethyl Centralite.........0.9%
Potassium Perchlorate....7.8%
Carbon Black.............1.2%
0.0582C1.7284H2.1350Cl0.056K0.0563N1.0269O3.6568
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
54.6%35.5%--0.98 1084 2417 0 28.22 ? 1.210
M8Triple
C1.8211H2.4090K0.0124N1.1114O3.7281NC (13.3%N) .......52.2%
NG..................43.0%
Ethyl Centralite.....0.6%
Diethylphthalate.....3.0%
Potassium Nitrate....1.3%
0.06C1.8211H2.4090K0.0124N1.1114O3.7281
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
52.2%43.0%--1.03 1125 2417 0 26.95 737 1.215
M9Triple
C1.7421H2.2971K0.0148N1.1319O3.7705NC (13.2%N) .......57.8%
NG..................40.0%
Ethyl Centralite.....0.8%
Potassium Nitrate....1.5%
0.03618C1.7421H2.2971K0.0148N1.1319O3.7705
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
57.8%40.0%--1.00 1125 2417 0 27.64 719 1.210
M100
C2.0399H2.4259N0.9894O3.6373NC (13.2%N) ..........98.0%
DPA...................1.0%
0.01Potassium Sulphate....?
0.0602C2.0399H2.4259N0.9894O3.6373
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
98.0%---1.67 998 2417 0 24.58 768 1.234
M120
C2.0216H2.3954N0.9864O3.6244NC (13.2%N) .........97.7%
DPA...................0.8%
Potassium Sulphate....0.8%
Tin...................0.8%
0.04037C2.0216H2.3954N0.9864O3.6244
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
97.7%---1.12 989 2417 0 24.77 773 1.233
M130
C1.7610H2.3286N1.1144O3.7121NC..................57.3%
NG...................40.0%
DPA...................0.2%
Ethyl Centralite......1.0%
Potassium Sulphate....1.5%
0C1.7610H2.3286N1.1144O3.7121
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
57.3%40.0%--? ? ? 0 ? ? ?
M140
C2.2398H2.5418N0.9965O3.5362NC (13.2%N) .........90.0%
DNT.................8.0%
Dibutylphthalate....2.0%
0.0582C2.2398H2.5418N0.9965O3.5362
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.42
90.0%---1.61 963 2417 0 23.05 818 1.250
M150
C1.5606H3.4391N2.6001O2.5670NC (13.2%N) .........20.0%
NG.................19.0%
NQ.................54.7%
Ethyl Centralite....6.0%
Cryolite............0.3%
0.06C1.5606H3.4391N2.6001O2.5670
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
20.0%19.0%54.7%-1.66 989 2417 0 21.53 863 1.256
M170
C1.3489H3.2059N2.6198O2.7233NC (13.2%N) ........22.0%
NG.................21.5%
NQ.................54.7%
Ethyl Centralite....1.5%
Cryolite............0.3%
0.0603C1.3489H3.2059N2.6198O2.7233
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
22.0%21.5%54.7%-1.67 1072 2417 0 23.06 817 1.240
M180
C2.3258H2.9333N0.9398O3.4966NC (13.2%N) .........80.0%
NG.................10.0%
DPA.................1.0%
Dibutylphthalate....9.0%
0.4457C2.3258H2.9333N0.9398O3.4966
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
80.0%10.0%--12.34 939 2417 0 22.44 837 1.252
M260
C2.0933H2.5819Ba0.0029K0.0069N1.0666O3.5407NC (13.2%N) .......67.3%
NG..................25.0%
Ethyl Centralite.....6.0%
Barium Nitrate.......0.8%
Potassium Nitrate....0.7%
Graphite.............0.3%
0.0585C2.0933H2.5819Ba0.0029K0.0069N1.0666O3.5407
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
67.3%25.0%--1.62 1048 2417 0 24.06 796 1.238
M26E10
C2.1226H2.6160N1.0686O3.5564NC................68.7%
NG.................25.0%
Ethyl Centralite....6.0%
Graphite............0.3%
0C2.1226H2.6160N1.0686O3.5564
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
68.7%25.0%--? ? ? 0 ? ? ?
M300
C1.4160H3.1002N2.4245O2.8506NC (12.6%N) ........28.0%
NG.................22.5%
NQ.................47.7%
Ethyl Centralite....1.5%
Cryolite............0.3%
0C1.4160H3.1002N2.4245O2.8506
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
28.0%22.5%47.7%-? ? ? 0 ? ? ?
M30A10
C1.4093H3.0733N2.3976O2.8371NC (12.6%N) ..........28.0%
NG...................22.5%
NQ...................47.0%
Ethyl Centralite......1.5%
Potassium Sulphate....1.0%
0C1.4093H3.0733N2.3976O2.8371
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
28.0%22.5%47.0%-? ? ? 0 ? ? ?
M30A20
C1.3819H3.0209K0.0272N2.3859O2.8673NC (12.6%N) .........27.0%
NG..................22.5%
NQ..................46.3%
Ethyl Centralite.....1.5%
Potassium Nitrate....2.8%
0C1.3819H3.0209K0.0272N2.3859O2.8673
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
27.0%22.5%46.3%-? ? ? 0 ? ? ?
M310
C1.4392H3.3476N2.5554O2.6093NC (12.6%N) .........20.0%
NG.................19.0%
NQ.................54.7%
Dibutylphthalate....4.5%
Barium Sulphate.....1.5%
Cryolite............0.3%
0C1.4392H3.3476N2.5554O2.6093
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
20.0%19.0%54.7%-? ? ? 0 ? ? ?
M31A10
C1.4934H3.4379N2.5285O2.6052NC (12.6%N) ...........20.0%
NG...................19.0%
NQ...................54.0%
DPA...................1.0%
Dibutylphthalate......4.5%
Potassium Sulphate....1.5%
0C1.4934H3.4379N2.5285O2.6052
3U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center, 1998 p.43
20.0%19.0%54.0%-? ? ? 0 ? ? ?
BS-NACO0
C1.9651H2.2933N0.9534O3.4677Composition incomplete, contains:
NC...............93.6%
Ethyl Centralite....1.2%
0C1.9651H2.2933N0.9534O3.4677
93.6%---? ? ? 0 ? ? ?
M430
C0.1061H0.1240N0.0434O0.1496Composition unknown, contains:
NC (12.6%N) ........4.0%
Ethyl Centralite....0.4%
0C0.1061H0.1240N0.0434O0.1496
4.0%--? ? ? 0 ? ? ?

References

(1) U.S. Army Materiel Command (1965). AMCP 706-150 Interior Ballistics of Guns. ENGINEERING DESIGN HANDBOOK HEADQUARTERS, U.S. ARMY MATERIEL COMMAND

(2) Department of the Army (1984). TM 9-1300-214. Technical Manual - Military Explosives Washington DC

(3) U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center (1998). PROPELLANT MANAGEMENT GUIDE. Logistics Review and Technical Assistance Office,Savanna, Illinois 61074-9639

(4) A. A. Balasco, R.C. Bowen, C.A. Jake, L.H. McDaniel, M.L. Hundley; L.L. Smith (1988). ADA206306. PROPELLANT REUSE/RECOVERY TECHNOLOGY U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency