Recent Advances in Gun Propellant Development: From Molecules to Materials

The development of gun propellants from 2010 to 2016 has been a broad endeavor. Researchers worldwide have examined every facet of energetic materials involved with gun propulsion in efforts to improve both safety and performance. They have looked at individual molecules to maximize energy content, as well as revisiting past molecules and improving upon their original properties. A great deal of effort has gone towards understanding and producing energetic nano-materials. Co-crystallization of energetic materials has also emerged as a promising new methodology to prepare energetics. Processing modifications to the propellant material have shown improvements in burn rate modification. Charge consolidation has seen a resurgence and novel gun concepts have both lead to significant improvements in muzzle velocity at the prototype level. Virtually every aspect of a gun propellant has been examined and improved upon.