Nitrogen tetroxide, analysis

Nitrogen tetroxide may be identified from physical and chemical properties and its ready conversion to NO2 gas which may be identified by its brown red color, pungent odor, and chemical analysis (See Nitrogen Dioxide, Analysis.)... 

Other observations of the reaction of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide substantiate the production of non-equilibrium combustion products. Non-equilibrium product concentrations were found in combustion gases extracted from a small rocket combustion chamber through a molecular beam sampling device with direct mass spec-trometric analysis (31) (39). Under oxidizer rich conditions excessive amounts of nitric oxide were found under fuel rich conditions excessive amounts of ammonia were found. A correlation between the experimentally observed characteristic velocity and nitric oxide concentration exists (40). Related kinetic effects are postulated to account for the two stage flame observed in the burning of hydrazine droplets in nitrogen dioxide atmospheres (41) (42). 

Gas Chromatography Analysis of NTO. As previously mentioned, the presently accepted method for assaying N2O4 is really only a total acid value and does not indicate the real composition of nitrogen tetroxide. There were many unsuccessful attempts over the past decade to analyze oxides of nitrogen by gas chromatography both gas-liquid and gas-solid attempts failed. 

McRae, T. G., Analysis and Model/Data Comparisons of Large-Scale Releases of Nitrogen Tetroxide. Final Report June 1983-September 1984, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA, UCID-20388, 1985. 

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