ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the rheological properties of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene binder (HTPB), agglomerated boron particles (ABP)/HTPB suspension, and fuel-rich propellant with high mass fraction of boron particles. Boron-based fuel-rich solid propellant belongs to the family of solid propellants that form a suspension system consisting of solid particles with different particle size and particle size distribution, such as oxidizer, powder fuel and so on. The rheological property of propellant slurry is the main criterion for the performance of propellant preparation process. Only fuel-rich propellant slurries with low viscosity and yield stress can be used to prepare solid propellant grains with good structure. The rheological properties of boron fuel-rich propellant influence the preparation process, that is, machinability. To develop fuel-rich propellants with high mass fraction of boron particles, a slurry with good leveling and flowability of boron-based fuel-rich propellant is the primary challenges involved in propellant preparation.
