SAND-ROSE SHAPED β-Ni(OH)2 MICROSPHERES: A HIGH EFFICIENT ADDITIVE IN THE THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF AMMONIUM PERCHLORATE

Sand-rose shaped β-Ni(OH)2 submicron particles were successfully synthesized by a simple wet-chemistry process. The influence of the as-prepared material on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) was explored by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry analyses. The in-situ formation of active NiO species in the AP/β-Ni(OH)2 system is beneficial for electron transfer in the decomposition steps of AP, leading to the acceleration of its thermal decomposition. In particular, the addition of 5 wt. % β-Ni(OH)2 to AP lowers the decomposition temperature of the latter by 68.5°C and, moreover, the apparent heat of decomposition is increased almost twofold compared to that of pure AP.