Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 1 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Development of Composite Solid Propellants Based on Dicyclopentadiene Binder Stephen Bluestone 1 , Stephen D. Heister 2 , and Steven F. Son 3 Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906 Benjamin L. Austin, Jr. 4 IN Space LLC, West Lafayette, IN 47906 Composite solid propellants have been formulated using polymerized dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) as a binder. When the DCPD monomer is polymerized it produces an extremely tough plastic with excellent tensile strength and fracture toughness. Studies were conducted with solids loadings in the 80-85% range and a number of plasticizers are evaluated for improvement of ultimate strain capability. When compared to the industry standard, hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), it was found that DCPD composite propellant had nearly 1.5 times the stress capacity while still exhibiting over 77% of the strain capacity of HTPB-based composite propellant. The aluminized DCPD-based composite propellant also exhibits a burning rate nearly twice that of HTPB. These factors combine make dicyclopentadiene-based composite propellant a potentially attractive alternative for a number of missions demanding composite solid propellants. Nomenclature a St. Robert’s Law pre-factor constant AP ammonium perchlorate CTPB carboxyl-terminated polybutadiene DCPD Dicyclopentadiene DPM Dual Planetary Mixer HTPB hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene JATO Jet Assisted Take Off LVDT Linear Variable Differential Transformer n St. Robert’s Law power constant P pressure (psi) PBAN polybutadiene acrylonitirile pDCPD poly-dicyclopentadiene r burn rate (in/s) ROMP Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization I. Introduction For many years the field of composite solid propellants has been dominated by reliable binders such as hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and polybutadiene acrylonitrile (PBAN). These binders owe their success in the industry to years of research and experimentation beginning with John Parsons and his asphalt/potassium perchlorate JATO rockets. 1 Seizing the potential of composite propellants other researchers went on to experiment 1 Graduate Student, School of Aeronautics & Astronautics, 701 West Stadium Avenue, AIAA Member 2 Professor, School of Aeronautics & Astronautics, 701 West Stadium Avenue, AIAA Associate Fellow 3 Associate Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, 585 Purdue Mall, AIAA Member 4 President, 3495 Kent Avenue Suite G100, AIAA Senior Member 46th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit 25 - 28 July 2010, Nashville, TN AIAA 2010-6589 Copyright © 2010 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.