Model-free kinetic analysis of multi-step thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate coated with reduced graphene oxide

This study investigates the effect of coating AP with RGO on its thermal decomposition kinetics and behavior. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was performed for pure AP and AP@RGO at several heating rates. DSC curves of AP@RGO for various heating rates were split into individual reactions using a mathematical deconvolution approach. The assessment of kinetic triplets of various reactions was accomplished for both AP and AP@RGO using an effective model-free approach (MFA). Deconvolution of the DSC curve for AP@RGO reveals three distinct decomposition processes, compared to only two observed in pure AP. Notably, the low-temperature decomposition reaction appears to be catalyzed by RGO, leading to a dramatic decrease in activation energy from 164 to 116 kJ/g. Conversely, the high-temperature decomposition remains uncatalyzed, with a slight increase in activation energy from 177 to 188 kJ/g. The catalytic effectiveness of RGO in the thermal decomposition process of AP fluctuates due to structural transformations within RGO and its degradation in the presence of perchloric acid.