Dense, Three-Dimensional, Highly Absorbent, Graphene Oxide Aerogel Coating on ZnCo₂O₄/ZnO Particles Exerts a Synergistic Catalytic Effect for Ammonium Perchlorate Thermal Decomposition

Abstract

As a new type of carbon material, graphene oxide aerogel (GA) is widely used in catalysis due to its porous structure, high-efficiency adsorption, and superb conductivity. In this study, GA was prepared into a dense coating layer surrounding ZnCo2O4/ZnO particles to form a composite GA-ZnCo2O4/ZnO by means of a hydrothermal, blast drying, and vacuum-freeze-drying approach applied to catalyze the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP). The physicochemical properties of the obtained GA-ZnCo2O4/ZnO were characterized by different analytical methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis exhibited that GA is coated on the surface of ZnCo2O4/ZnO, forming a dense layer. Brunner Emmet Teller (BET) measurement results show that GA-ZnCo2O4/ZnO has a smooth macropore distribution curve and a larger specific surface area. Moreover, The catalytic effect investigation on AP with GA-ZnCo2O4/ZnO: the high temperature decomposition (HTD) peak temperature of AP in the presence of 5 wt % GA-ZnCo2O4/ZnO was reduced from 441 to 294 °C, and the exotherm of AP was expanded from 205 to 1275 J/g at a heating rate of 15 °C/min. Through the calculation, GA-ZnCo2O4/ZnO makes the activation energy and Gibbs free energy of the AP pyrolysis lower so that the reaction is easier to occur. Thermogravimetric–mass (TG–MS) spectrometry revealed that during thermal decomposition of AP, GA-ZnCo2O4/ZnO leveraged the synergistic catalysis of ZnCo2O4/ZnO and GA that boosted the flow of electrons from ClO4– to O2 and increased the absorption of the gas product to accelerate the AP pyrolysis. These results provided a facile strategy to prepare GA-based composite catalysts with extraordinary application prospects in the domain of solid propellants.

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