Y₂O₃/carbon nanotube composite particles were prepared by a sol-gel method. The microstrcture and looks of the composite particles obtained were characterized by SEM, XPS, FT-IR and XRD methods. The results indicate that Y₂O₃ are supported well on the surface of carbon nanotube. The Y₂O₃ particles coating on carbon naotube appear even and continous. This points to high nucleation density and big binding energy. FT-IR and XPS reveal that Y₂O₃ particles are coated with carbon nanotube through chemical bond. Three comparison samples mixing Y₂O₃/carbon nanoube composite particles with ammonia perchlorate (AP) by three mixing methods were prepared. And DTA experiments were used to characterize their catalytic performance. The results imply that the catalytic performance of Y₂O₃/carbon nanotube composite particles in the sample mixing by water phase is superior to that of the other. Compared with the pure ammonia perchlorate, the peak temperature of high temperature decomposition of AP in this mixing sample decreases 168.5 ℃, and the total heat release improves from 371 to 1410 J•g^－1. The kinetics parameters of the thermal decomposition of AP in different samples were investigated to explain the above results.

Key words: sol-gel method, carbon nanotube, Y₂O₃, Y₂O₃/carbon nanotube composite particle, ammonia perchlorate