Investigative Report Effect of Metal Oxide Enthalpy of Formation on the Exothermic Energy Release of Rocket Candy Propellants

This investigative laboratory report explores how the standard enthalpy of formation of different metal oxides influences the exothermic energy release of potassium nitrate–sucrose (“rocket candy”) propellants. The study was conducted as pre-university scientific research and applies concepts from thermochemistry, combustion chemistry, and energetic materials engineering.Using bomb calorimetry as the primary measurement method, the research examines the impact of incorporating aluminium, magnesium, iron, tin, and copper powders into a fixed-ratio KNO₃–sucrose propellant mixture. The report provides:Thermodynamic basis for using high-energy metal additives in solid propellants.Comparative calorimetric data on temperature rise and estimated energy output.Correlation analysis between metal oxide enthalpy of formation, molar mass, and observed exothermic energy release.Discussion of combustion mechanisms for nitrate–sugar fuels enhanced with reactive metals.Safety protocols for small-scale energetic material testing.The findings support the hypothesis that metals with higher exothermic oxide formation enthalpies contribute to increased energy release in hybrid nitrate–sugar propellants. While experimental scale and setup introduce some limitations, the work provides a technically sound foundation for understanding additive selection in amateur rocketry and chemical propulsion applications.