The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials (ACRHEM) at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) have secured Indian Patent No. 599900 for a next generation solid rocket propellant fuel named BAM-H24. The patent, filed on 21 December 2022 and granted by the Indian Patent Office on 20 August 2026, covers a novel boron, hydrogen and nitrogen rich compound designed for solid rocket propulsion. This grant marks a major step for indigenous high energy materials that could make missile and launch vehicle fuels safer, more stable and more efficient.
What is BAM-H24 and Why Has It Been Patented?
BAM-H24 is the laboratory code for a new energetic compound whose full chemical name is N1,N1,N1,N4,N4,N4-hexaethylbut-2-yne-1,4-diaminium dodecaborane. It is a boron, hydrogen and nitrogen rich material that has been designed to act as a solid rocket propellant fuel. A propellant is the chemical mixture that burns to produce hot gases, which then escape through a nozzle to create thrust and push a rocket forward. In this case, BAM-H24 is the fuel part of that mixture.
The Indian Patent Office granted Patent No. 599900 with Application No. 202211074244 to two joint holders. They are the Chairman, DRDO, and the Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials (ACRHEM) at the University of Hyderabad, which is now known as the DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE), UoH. The patent was filed on 21 December 2022 and was officially granted on 20 August 2026 after examination under the Patents Act, 1970.
The invention is credited to Dr. Muddamarri Hanumantha Rao of ACRHEM and Prof. Muralidharan Krishnamurthi of ACRHEM and the School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad. Their patent specification describes three things in detail. First, the synthesis or method to make the compound in the laboratory. Second, the structural elucidation, which means confirming its exact molecular structure using analytical techniques. Third, its energetic properties, which show how much energy it stores and how it behaves on heating, impact and friction.
Unlike an ordinary research paper, a patent gives the holders exclusive legal rights for 20 years from the filing date to make, use and commercialise the invention in India. The grant therefore protects a concrete formulation that can now be developed further for practical rocket motors.
What Are Solid Rocket Propellants and How Do They Work?
A rocket propellant is any chemical that produces thrust by burning and releasing large volumes of hot gas. Every chemical rocket needs two parts. The fuel is the substance that burns, and the oxidizer supplies oxygen for burning when there is no air in space.
A solid rocket propellant combines both the fuel and the oxidizer into one solid block, often called the grain. This block is cast directly inside the rocket motor casing and looks like hard rubber. Once ignited by an igniter, the outer surface of the grain burns in a steady layer, and the hot gases escape through a nozzle to push the rocket forward.
There are two broad families of solid propellants. Composite propellants mix a crystalline oxidizer such as ammonium perchlorate with a metal fuel such as aluminium powder and a rubbery binder such as hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) which holds everything together. Double base propellants use nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine as both fuel and oxidizer in one molecule. Most modern defence and space motors, including those of ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), use composite formulations.
Three technical terms decide how a solid motor performs. Grain geometry is the shape of the hollow core inside the propellant block, such as star, cylindrical or wagon wheel, which controls how much surface burns at any moment. Burn rate is how fast the surface recedes, usually measured in millimetres per second, and it sets the thrust level. Specific impulse is a measure of efficiency that shows how much thrust is produced for each kilogram of propellant consumed. Higher specific impulse means better mileage for a rocket.
Solid propellants are valued because they are simple, have no pumps or valves, can be stored for years at room temperature and ignite within seconds. Their main limit is that once ignited they cannot be throttled or stopped and they generally give lower specific impulse than liquid propellants.
Key Features and Technical Advantages of BAM-H24
BAM-H24 was developed to improve both safety and performance, two qualities that rarely go together in energetic materials. Its design around boron, hydrogen and nitrogen aims to store more chemical energy per unit mass while remaining stable during handling and storage.
| Property | What It Means | Why It Matters for Rocket Motors |
|---|---|---|
| Boron, hydrogen and nitrogen rich composition | Each gram contains high energy elements, especially boron which releases large heat on oxidation | Increases energy density and potential specific impulse |
| High chemical and thermal stability | Does not decompose easily at normal or elevated temperatures | Safer manufacturing, transport and long term storage |
| Low sensitivity to impact and friction | Needs a strong, deliberate stimulus to ignite, resists accidental hits or rubbing | Reduces risk of accidental ignition in factories and during handling |
| Non-hygroscopic nature | Does not absorb water vapour from humid air | Maintains propellant integrity and burn rate even in tropical storage conditions |
| High specific impulse and reduced ignition delay | Produces more thrust per kilogram and lights up faster after the igniter fires | Improves energy efficiency and response time of the motor |
| Versatile application | Can be used as a primary solid rocket propellant fuel, as a fuel additive, or as a burn rate accelerator | Allows formulators to tune thrust and burn characteristics without redesigning the whole motor |
The patent describes BAM-H24 as capable of three roles within high energy material (HEM) formulations. As a main fuel, it can replace or supplement traditional fuels. As a fuel additive, it can be mixed in smaller amounts to boost energy. As a burn rate accelerator, it can modify how quickly the propellant grain burns, which directly controls the thrust profile. This flexibility makes it useful for both tactical missiles that need rapid thrust and launch vehicles that need steady, predictable burn.
Understanding ACRHEM and the DRDO Academia Collaboration
The patent reflects a long standing academic and defence partnership.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is India’s premier agency for military research and development. It was formed on 1 January 1958 by merging the Technical Development Establishment (TDE), the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTDP) and the Defence Science Organisation (DSO). It operates under the Department of Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence, and is headquartered at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi. Its motto is Balasya Mulam Vigyanam, which means strength’s origin is in science. DRDO today runs a network of more than 52 laboratories across the country. Among them, the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) at Pune, Maharashtra, is the core laboratory for propellants, explosives and pyrotechnics.
Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials (ACRHEM) is the first centre of its kind that DRDO set up inside an academic institution. It was established on 9 March 2005 at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) through a Memorandum of Collaboration. UoH itself is a Central University established by an Act of Parliament in 1974, located at Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana. It has been recognised as an Institution of Eminence and is known for strong schools in physics, chemistry and life sciences.
ACRHEM conducts interdisciplinary work in synthetic chemistry, computational modelling of high energy materials, physics of energy release, material science and ultra fast laser diagnostics. On 4 August 2023, UoH and DRDO signed a new 25 year Memorandum of Understanding that renamed ACRHEM as the DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE), UoH. The agreement is reviewed every three years. The centre now works on three verticals. These are High Energy Materials, Energetic Polymers and Nanomaterials, and laser based technologies for detection, discrimination and initiation of HEMs.
During its third phase from December 2016 to February 2023, the centre developed several products that were demonstrated at DRDO laboratories, with some already in use in DRDO projects. BAM-H24 therefore builds on two decades of institutional capacity where university chemists and defence scientists share facilities, guide PhD scholars jointly and move formulations from laboratory synthesis to field level evaluation.
Solid Versus Liquid Propellants: Where Does BAM-H24 Fit In?
BAM-H24 belongs clearly to the solid family, and understanding how solid and liquid rocket fuels differ shows why it matters.
| Feature | Solid Propellant | Liquid Propellant |
|---|---|---|
| Physical state | Fuel and oxidizer mixed as one solid grain inside the casing | Fuel and oxidizer stored separately as liquids and pumped into a combustion chamber |
| Control | Simple ignition, cannot be throttled or shut down once started | Can be throttled, stopped and restarted by controlling flow valves |
| Complexity | Very few moving parts, no pumps or plumbing | Needs turbopumps, valves, injectors and cryogenic tanks |
| Storage | Stable at room temperature, ready for years | Often needs low temperature storage or careful handling due to leaks and toxicity |
| Efficiency (specific impulse) | Generally lower, around 250 to 300 seconds for composites | Higher, often above 300 seconds, especially for liquid oxygen with liquid hydrogen or kerosene |
| Best use | Boosters, quick reaction missiles such as Agni and Pinaka, and PSLV first stage | Sustainer stages, upper stages and reusable vehicles such as GSLV Mk III with Vikas and CE-20 engines and SpaceX Falcon 9 Merlin engines |
India uses both systems together. A typical mission may lift off with powerful solid boosters that provide high initial thrust, then switch to liquid stages for precise orbital control. By improving safety and specific impulse within the solid category, BAM-H24 aims to raise the performance of that first, critical lift off phase without sacrificing the simplicity that makes solids ideal for storage and rapid launch.
Strategic Significance for India Defence and Space Programme
The patent aligns with India’s push for Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing. Indigenous propellant formulations reduce dependence on imported energetic materials and on foreign know how for strategic systems.
For the defence forces, a safer and more energetic solid fuel means more reliable missile systems that can be stored in varied climates, transported with lower risk and launched at short notice. Reduced sensitivity to impact and friction lowers hazards for personnel in propellant mixing, casting and inspection facilities. Non hygroscopic stability is especially valuable in India’s humid storage environments.
For the space sector, which relies on solid motors for boost phases, higher specific impulse and lower ignition delay translate into better payload capacity and more consistent launch performance. While Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), established in 1969 and headquartered in Bengaluru, develops its own propellants, advances in high energy materials from the DRDO academic system feed the broader national ecosystem of propulsion knowledge, skilled manpower and testing infrastructure.
The joint DRDO and UoH achievement also signals a shift in how strategic technology is built. Instead of a purely laboratory centric model, the Industry Academia Centre of Excellence approach pools university talent, DRDO funding and field testing. This shortens the path from molecule to motor and trains a new generation of chemists and engineers in high energy materials, a niche but critical field for national security.
The Way Forward
A patent grant is the start of a longer development chain. The next steps for BAM-H24 will involve laboratory scale formulation trials where the compound is mixed with oxidizers, binders and curing agents to form complete propellant grains. Those grains must then pass thermal analysis, mechanical testing and small motor firings to verify burn rate, pressure exponents and aging behaviour.
If performance in sub scale motors matches expectations, larger static tests of full scale motors will follow, including non destructive evaluation methods that DRDO and ISRO regularly use to check grain integrity. Regulatory and safety clearances for storage and handling will also be updated to reflect the compound’s lower sensitivity profile.
More broadly, the case illustrates three lessons for science and technology. First, high energy materials progress is measured not just by raw power but by safety, stability and tunability. Second, patent protection under the Patents Act, 1970 allows public institutions to secure intellectual property before transfer to production agencies. Third, sustained 25 year DIA-CoE partnerships show how defence self reliance is now built through continuous academic engagement rather than one time projects.
Key Takeaways
- Indian Patent No. 599900 for BAM-H24 was granted on 20 August 2026 after filing on 21 December 2022 under Application No. 202211074244.
- BAM-H24 is chemically named N1,N1,N1,N4,N4,N4-hexaethylbut-2-yne-1,4-diaminium dodecaborane, a boron, hydrogen and nitrogen rich compound for solid rocket propulsion.
- The patent holders are the Chairman, DRDO and ACRHEM, now DIA-CoE, University of Hyderabad, and the inventors are Dr. Muddamarri Hanumantha Rao and Prof. Muralidharan Krishnamurthi.
- ACRHEM was established on 9 March 2005 as the first DRDO centre in an academic institution, while UoH was established in 1974 and DRDO in 1958 with headquarters at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi.
- BAM-H24 offers high chemical and thermal stability, low impact and friction sensitivity, non-hygroscopic behaviour, high specific impulse and reduced ignition delay.
- The compound can function as a solid rocket propellant fuel, a fuel additive and a burn rate accelerator for missile systems and launch vehicles.
