The influence of aluminum nanoparticles on the laser ablation characteristics of hydroxylamine nitrate-based liquid propellants

Hydroxylamine nitrate is a nontoxic green energetic propellant that has a high energy density and wide application prospects in the field of aerospace propulsion. Here, the laser ablation and propulsion properties of hydroxylamine nitrate-based propellants doped with aluminum nanoparticles were studied. The results showed a significant improvement in the laser absorption properties of hydroxylamine nitrate doped with aluminum nanoparticles. The maximum absorption rate increased by more than 80%, while the absorption depth decreased considerably with a minimum of 277 μm. The sputtering behavior also weakened during laser ablation, and the impulse of hydroxylamine nitrate could be enhanced by doping aluminum nanoparticles. With the 0.7wt% mass fraction of aluminum nanoparticles, a maximum impulse bit of 57.55 μN·s at 90 mJ laser energy. This is led to a maximum energy conversion efficiency of 218.1% and an enhancement of the kinetic energy of the hydroxylamine nitrate-based propellant of 56% with laser energy of 25 mJ. Compared with ordinary liquid propellants, doped samples have better propulsion performance.