Effect of Different Carbon-Supported Catalysts on the Thermal Decomposition of Energetic Thermoplastic Elastomers

To enhance the thermal decomposition properties of glycidyl azide polymer energetic thermoplastic elastomer (GAP-ETPE), the effects of nano-CuO supported on different carbon carriers (GO and CNT) were systematically investigated in this study. The structural characteristics and catalytic performances were comprehensively analyzed using XRD, Raman, XPS, UPS, BET, SEM, and TEM, coupled with thermal analysis techniques including TG-DSC and TG-MS. The results indicate that the catalytic performance follows the descending order of CuO/CNT > CuO/GO > CuO. Notably, CuO/CNT exhibits the optimal catalytic activity, advancing the exothermic peak temperature of the azide groups by approximately 33 °C and resulting in a more concentrated heat release process. The superior synergistic catalytic effect of CuO/CNT is attributed to the following: the three-dimensional network constructed by CNT effectively overcomes the agglomeration of CuO nanoparticles and the restacking defects typical of GO nanosheets, thereby significantly reducing the gas–solid mass transfer resistance. Simultaneously, the highly graphitized sp2 conjugated skeleton of CNT provides an exceptional electron transport capability, facilitating rapid electron migration. These findings demonstrate that the structure of carbon supports profoundly influences the synergistic catalytic effect of CuO, offering valuable insights into the design of highly efficient catalysts for energetic binders.