Propellants

U.S. Military Propellants

Propellant Name

Application

Density

Impetus

Flame Temp.

Gas Molecular Weight

Composition

IMR 6962
Single Base Extruded

Small Arms Propellant
(20mm)

970 kg/m3

IMR 7013
Single Base Extruded

Small Arms Propellant
(20mm)

950 kg/m3

IMR 7005
Single Base Extruded

Small Arms Propellant
(20mm)

955 kg/m3

IMR 5010
Single Base Extruded

Small Arms Propellant
(.50 Caliber)

950 kg/m3

IMR 4895
Single Base Extruded

Small Arms Propellant
(.30 Caliber)

900 kg/m3

IMR 8138M
Single Base Extruded

Small Arms Propellant
(7.62mm)

885 kg/m3

IMR 8208M
Single Base Extruded

Small Arms Propellant
(5.56mm)

890 kg/m3

WC 880
Ball Propellant

Small Arms Propellant
(20mm)

960 kg/m3

WC 875
Ball Propellant

Small Arms Propellant
(20mm)

960 kg/m3

WC 876
Ball Propellant

Small Arms Propellant
(20mm)

960 kg/m3

WC 860
Ball Propellant

Small Arms Propellant
(.50 Caliber)

950 kg/m3

WC 852
Ball Propellant

Small Arms Propellant
(.30 Caliber)

940 kg/m3

WC 846
Ball Propellant

Small Arms Propellant
(7.62mm)

980 kg/m3

87% Nitrocellulose
9.7% Nitroglycerin
0.9% Diphenylamine
0.7% Dinitrotoluene
0.5% Calcium Carbonate
0.1% Sodium Sulphate
0.3% Graphite

WC 844
Ball Propellant

Small Arms Propellant
(5.56mm)

980 kg/m3

T18

Recoilless Rifle

T20

Artillery

T25

Recoilless Rifle

T34

1.65 p

1,001.32 kJ/kg
or
335,00 ft-lb/lb

2,608° K

21.7

T36

1.66 p

1089.49 kJ/kg
or
364,500 ft-lb/lb

3,040° K

23.2

M1

Artillery

1,569 kg/m3

923.6 kJ/kg

2,417° K

86% Nitrocellulose
9.9% Dinitrotoluene
3% Dibutylphthalate
1% Diphenylamine

M2

Artillery

1.65 p

1,076.04 kJ/kg
or
360,000 ft-lb/lb

3,319° K

25.6

M5

Artillery

M6

Artillery

1,581 kg/m3
or
1.60 p

947.51 kJ/kg
or
317,000 ft-lb/lb

2,570° K

22.6

86.1% Nitrocellulose
9.9% Dinitrotoluene
3% Dibutylphtalate
1% Diphenylamine

M7

Mortar

M8

Mortar

52.15% Nitrocellulose
43.00% Nitroglycerin
3.00% Diethylphthalate
1.25% Potassium Nitrate
0.60% Ethyl Centralite

M9

Mortar

M10

Recoilless Rifle

1,669 kg/m3
or
1.67 p

1013.27 kJ/kg
or
339,000 ft-lb/lb

3,000° K

24.6

M12

Small Arms

1,076.04 kJ/kg

3,319° K

M14

Artillery

M15A1

Artillery

1.66 p

992.35 kJ/kg
or
332,000 ft-lb/lb

2,546° K

21.3

M17

Artillery

1.67 p

1,088 kJ/kg
or
364,000 ft-lb/lb

3,017° K

23.1

M18

Small Arms

M26

Recoilless Rifle

M26E1

1,611 kg/m3

1,085 kJ/kg

3,132° K

M30

Artillery (105mm)

1.53 g/cc

1,088 kJ/kg
or
1,070 J/g

3,040° K
or
3,081° K

28% Nitrocellulose
22.5% Nitroglycerin
47.7% Nitroguanidine
1.5% Centralite
0.1% Graphite

M30A1
(Nitrate Ester)

Artillery

1,683 kg/m3

1,073.4 kJ/kg

3,036° K

M30A2
(Nitrate Ester)

M31

1,001.32 kJ/kg

2,597° K

M31E1

1,642 kg/m3

973.8 kJ/kg

2574° K

M43
(RDX Nitramine)

Tank
(M900A1 Round)

1,181 kJ/kg

3,065° K

JA-2
(Nitrate Ester)

Tank
(M829A1/A2 Rounds)

1,661 kg/m3

1,130.2 kJ/kg

3,410° K

59.50% NC
14.90% Nitroglycerin
24.80% DEGDN
0.80% Misc

NACO

Naval Guns
(Mk 67 Charge)

EX-99

Naval Guns
(EX 167 Charge)

1,660 kg/m3

1,159 kJ/kg

3,019° K

76% RDX
12% Celluose Acetate Butyrate
7.6% Acetal/Formal
4% Nitrocellulose
0.4% Ethyl Centralite

HELP-42

1,600 kg/m3

1,063 kJ/kg

2,555° K

Unknown

BAMO

1,639 kg/m3

1,191.36 kJ/kg

2,863° K

Unknown

Cordite N

1.64 p

319,000 ft-lb/lb

2,441° K

21.2

French Military Propellants

Propellant Name

Application

Service

Era

Flame
Temperature
(Kelvin)

Composition

Impetus
(kJ/kg)

Density
(kg/m3)

Poudre B

Lots

All

1884

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

German Military Propellants

Propellant Name

Application

Service

Era

Flame
Temperature
(Kelvin)

Composition

Impetus
(kJ/kg)

Density
(kg/m3)

RP C/12

Naval Guns

Germany

1912

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

RP C/32

Naval Guns

Germany

1932

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

RP C/38

Naval Guns

Germany

1938

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

RP C/40

Naval Guns

Germany

1940

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Gu RP

Experimental

Germany

1940s

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Japanese Military Propellants

Propellant Name

Application

Density

Impetus

Flame Temp.

Composition

Type 13 Cordite

30% Nitroglycerin
64.8% Mixed Nitrocellulose
4.5% Centralite
0.7% Mineral Matter
1% Volatile Matter

Type 89 Cordite

26.5% Nitroglycerin
68.5% Nitrocellulose
5% Jara Jara
1.5% Volatile Matter

Type 90 Mk 2 Cordite

Type 92 Cordite

Type 93 Mk 1 Cordite

Type 13 Smokeless Powder

64.4% Nitrocellulose
4.5% Centralite
30% Nitroglycerin
1.1% Inert Components

Composition G OTSU, Mk I

27% Nitroglycerin
64.3% Nitrocellulose
4% Centralite
4% Formyldiphenylamine
0.7% Inert

Composition G OTSU, Mk II

35% Nitroglycerin
59.3% Nitrocellulose
2.5% Centralite
2.5% Formyldiphenylamine
0.7% Inert

Experimental Military Propellants
(Tested in Lab, described in patents, etc)

Propellant Name

Application

Density

Impetus

Flame Temp.

Gas Molecular Weight

Composition

LGP-1776

Water Soluble Liquid Monopropellant

1.39 g/cc

960.7 J/g

2600° K

UNK

19.3% TMAN Fuel
60.8% HAN
19.9% Water

LGP-1781

Water Soluble Liquid Monopropellant

1.42 g/cc

929.6 J/g

2560° K

UNK

32.5% EOAN Fuel
50.3% HAN
17.2% Water

LGP-1812

Water Soluble Liquid Monopropellant

1.40 g/cc

959.8 J/g

2620° K

UNK

13.6% TEN Fuel
67.5% HAN
18.9% Water

LGP-1814

Water Soluble Liquid Monopropellant

1.38 g/cc

924.7 J/g

2500° K

UNK

13.2% TEN Fuel
65.3% HAN
21.5% Water

LGP-1835

Water Soluble Liquid Monopropellant

1.41 g/cc

885.7 J/g

2410° K

UNK

11.8% TEN Fuel
68.4% HAN
19.8% Water

LGP-1845

Water Soluble Liquid Monopropellant

1.45 g/cc

934.5 J/g

2592° K

UNK

20% TEAN Fuel
63.2% HAN
16.8% Water

LGP-1846

Water Soluble Liquid Monopropellant

1.42 g/cc

898.3 J/g

2469° K

UNK

19.2% TEAN Fuel
60.8% HAN
20% Water

LGP-1848

Water Soluble Liquid Monopropellant

1.46 g/cc

820.7 J/g

2260° K

UNK

14.5% TEAN Fuel
66.3% HAN
19.2% Water

XM-46
(1990s)

Liquid Propellant (Artillery)

1,430 kg/m3

898 kJ/kg

2,459° K

UNK

19.2% TEAN
60.8% HAN
20% Water

OTTO II Monopropellant
(1990s)

Liquid Propellant
(Artillery also used as Torpedo Fuel)

1,230 kg/m3

866 kJ/kg

1,986° K

UNK

76% Dinitroxypropane
22.5% Di-N-Butyl Sebacate
1.5% 2 Nitrodiphenylamine

Thikol
Thermally Stable Caseless Cartridge Propellants
(1974)

Experimental
(US Patent 4,263,070)

UNK

830.94 kJ/kg

2,375° K

UNK

75% HMX
9.81% LDIM
11.99% Pluronic L-35
3.26% TMP
0.10% TiO(AA)2

High Energy
Thermoplastic Elastomer
Propellant
Sample G
(2000)

Experimental
(US Patent 6,997,996 B1)

UNK

1,348 kJ/kg

3,683° K

UNK

20% Oxetane Thermoplastic Elastomer
76% CL-20 High Explosive
4% TNAZ Plasticizer

Rockwell
Cool Burning Propellant
(1973)

Experimental
(US Patent 3,950,196)

UNK

989.96 kJ/kg

2,118° K

UNK

55% TAGED
20%
10% Ethyl Celluose
15% Trimetholethane Trinitrate

Rockwell
Nitroaminoguandine
Propellant
(1977)

Experimental
(US Patent 4,373,976)

UNK

1,107.42 kJ/kg

2,675° K

UNK

70% Nitroaminoguanidine
10% HMX
17.5% Nitrocellulose
2.5%Triacetin

ATK
PRD-20
(1998)

Experimental
(US Patent 6,241,833 B1)

UNK

1,205.6 kJ/kg

3,372° K

UNK

41.90% NC
25.71% RDX
14% Methyl NENA
10% Ethyl NENA
7.69% Nitroglycerin
0.70% Misc

ATK
RPDS-21
(1998)

Experimental
(US Patent 6,241,833 B1)

UNK

1,226.1 kJ/kg

3,451° K

UNK

36.48% NC
30.33% RDX
13.44% Methyl NENA
9.57% Ethyl NENA
9.46% Nitroglycerin
0.72% Misc

ATK
RPDS-22
(1998)

Experimental
(US Patent 6,241,833 B1)

UNK

1,249.1 kJ/kg

3,551° K

UNK

31.11% NC
34.08% RDX
12.57% Methyl NENA
8.94% Ethyl NENA
12.58% Nitroglycerin
0.72% Misc

Rockwell
Ultra-High Energy Gun Propellant F-2
(1990)

Experimental
(US Patent 5,053,087)

UNK

1,451.46 kJ/kg

3,667° K

UNK

25% Binder (1/1/1 NC/DANPE/NIBTN)
50% DADNH
25% DATH

Rockwell
Ultra-High Energy Gun Propellant F-6
(1990)

Experimental
(US Patent 5,053,087)

UNK

1,495.4 kJ/kg

3,811° K

UNK

25% Binder (1/1/1 NC/DANPE/NIBTN)
60% DADNH
15% DATN