Anthony Cesaroni wrote:> The performance trade isn’t worth it...
Certainly for the vast majority this is true. However, there are likely to
exist a few amateur rocketeers where an inexpensive, non-metallized AN
propellant fulfills a need; whether budget, environment, challenge or just
scratching an itch to do something a little different is the figure of merit.
Of particular concern is the possibility that catalyzing the lazy AN combustion
process will dangerously sensitize it. Hoping to glean sufficient information
to negate the need to actually characterize potential sensitivity. My gut
feeling is a stoichiometric proportion of fuel/binder will mechanically dampen
any reasonably likely shock wave, but I'd feel a lot more comfortable with
evidence to back that assumption. Of course, that a non-metallized AN
propellant is possible in the first place (without highly toxic catalysts)
remains to be proven.
