Graphene/Fe3O4/CuO Nanocomposite as an Evaluation of Enhanced Thermal Decomposition of Ammonium Perchlorate via the Ultrasonic-Assisted Method.

Graphene/Fe3O4/CuO nanocomposites were successfully synthesized using an ultrasonic-assisted method, with Fe3O4 and CuO nanoparticles (10 to 20 nm in size) uniformly distributed on graphene sheets. The synthesis process was optimized through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and the nanocomposites were further characterized for morphology, elemental distribution, specific surface area, and bonding dynamics. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that adding 2 and 5 wt % of the composite reduced the thermal decomposition temperatures of ammonium perchlorate (AP) by 86.8 and 91.2 °C, decreased activation energy from 357.2 to 226.6 and 182.0 kJ/mol, and increased the heat of high-temperature decomposition (HTD) by 72.1% and 70.0%, respectively. Compared to other graphene-based catalysts, the synthesized composite demonstrated superior catalytic efficiency, highlighting its potential as a promising additive for enhancing the thermal decomposition of AP in future applications.