Research Progress on Ferrocene-Based Metal Compound Catalyst Precursor in Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Solid Propellants (A Review)

Ammonium perchlorate-based composite solid propellants (AP-CSPs) are of paramount importance in aerospace, military, and other fields. Ferrocene-based metal compounds as a precursor of the active phase of the catalyst formed in the combustion wave. They are characterized by their unique chemical structures, can effectively regulate the combustion performance of AP-CSPs even at low dosages. Nevertheless, traditional ferrocene-based catalyst precursor (Fc-CPs), especially those with simple structures and low molecular weights, are highly prone to migration, which severely compromises the storage life, operational reliability, and environmental adaptability of the propellants. To address these issues, the development of ferrocene-based metal compound catalyst precursor (Fc-MC-CPs) with low migration and high catalytic efficiency has emerged as a prominent research focus. Fc-MC-CPs offer significant improvements over traditional Fc-CPs. Specifically, some Fc-MC-CPs exhibit a migration rate up to 50% lower than their traditional counterparts, which directly mitigates the negative impacts on propellant storage, operation, and adaptability. Moreover, they can increase the burning rate of AP-CSPs by over 30%, demonstrating superior catalytic performance. This review summarizes the recent research progress of Fc-MC-CPs in AP-CSPs. It details the reported synthesis methods, assesses their antimigration, volatility, and catalytic properties, and analyzes the existing problems. Based on these insights, it also discusses the future research directions, providing crucial theoretical and practical references for subsequent studies. The ultimate goal is to optimize the performance of Fc-MC-CPs in AP-CSPs and promote the development of related fields.