FOI standard methods of safety surveillance of gun propellants

The safety surveillance of gun propellants is done by commission of the material defence department. The basic aim of the safety surveillance is to prevent, self-ignition during depot storage, depot handling and transportation. It shall also prevent propellant batches from being rejected earlier than necessary with regard to the chemical stability. The work is done according to present "FMV Handbok för ammunitionsövervakning M7762-000220". Smokeless powders or nitrocellulose based propellants are not chemically stable, they decompose. When the stability decreases the decomposition rate and the heat generation increase. Risk of self-ignition arises. In order to stabilize propellants different stabilizers are added. The stabilizers slow the decomposition rate down. The tree main analysis methods in use by the safety surveillance are: HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) a qualitative and quantitative method to determine and measure stabilizers content. HF (Heat Flow) measure the heat generation at enhanced temperature whit micro calorimeter. TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography) a qualitative method to determind derivatives of stabilizers. The aim of this report is to provide documentation of theses three methods.