Propellant for rockets

A mixture of lithium with hydrogen peroxide combusts immediately. It has been used as a propellant for rockets. 

The same applies to hydrazine. In the presence of catalysts, the ignition is instantaneous and violent. This mixture was used as the first propellant for rockets, in particular for V2 and the French rocket called Veronique . In the absence of catalysts, there is a period of induction, but when decomposition occurs it cein be explosive. 

Hydrazine combusts spontaneously In contact with dinitrogen tetroxide. As with nitric acid, this property made it suitable as a propellant for rockets from the N2O4/N2NNH2 system. 

Ammonia combusts spontaneously when it is mixed with fluorine. This system has been considered as a propellant for rockets. If ammonia is in the form of an aqueous solution, the mixture detonates as soon as it is formed. 

Ammonium perchlorate has, in addition to the properties mentioned for the previous compounds, a specific instability due to its unfavourable oxygen balance. Friction is enough to make it detonate. Combined with aluminium it has been used as a propellant for rockets. In the presence of carbon and metal salts, it reacts exothermically below 240°C and detonates above this temperature. 

Terpenes and in particular, spirit of turpentine, give rise to mixtures which combust spontaneously with nitric acid. Some of the above mentioned mixtures have been used as propellants for rockets. 

Isopropyl nitrate combusts when it decomposes. It is a very good propellant for rockets (CHETAH factor C3 = -68 g%). However, it is rather dangerous to store. This is the reason why it is no longer used very often. 

Kubota, N., Nitramine Propellants for Rockets and Guns , Japanese Patent No. 60-177452, Aug. 12th, 1985. 

Table 10.7 shows the physicochemical properties of the crystalHne materials used as oxidizers. Potassium and sodium are combined with nitrate or perchlorate to form stabilized crystalline oxidizers. Metal oxides are formed as their combustion products. On the other hand, ammonium ions are combined with nitrate or perchlorate to form stabilized crystalline oxidizers such as NH4NO3 and NH4CIO4 without metal atoms. When these oxidizers are decomposed, no solid products are formed. As discussed in Section 10.1.1, for the oxidizers used for propulsion, such as in propellants for rockets and guns, the molecular mass of the combustion products needs to be as low as possible. 

Uses. Fluorinating agent incendiary igniter and propellant for rockets in nuclear reactor fuel processing pyrolysis inhibitor for fluorocarbon polymers... 

Hydrazine hydrate is used as a reducing agent in synthetic and analytical reactions and as a solvent for many inorganic compounds. It also is used with methanol as a propellant for rocket engines. Another apphcation is catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. 

Burning (Combustion) and Burning Characteristics of Propellants for Rockets. See Vol 2, pp B350-R to B355-R and the following Addnl Ref Anon, "Sources of Energy ,... 

Combustion. See Vol 3, p C425-L and also Burning in Vol 2, p B343-L and Combustion of Propellants for Rockets in this section... 

Vol 3, p C428-L also "Burning and Burning Characteristics of Propellants for Rockets ,... 

There have also been conducted research on the use of AN in Composite Propellants for Rocket Engines (Ref 5, p 361)... 

Charges, propelling, for rocket motors, composite mixture 0416... 

Thixotropic gels are also useful as propellants for rocket applications. These are commonly called thixotropes or gels. Normal fuels and oxidizers are converted into thioxotropes by the addition of a small quantity of a gelling agent in order to ensure uniform suspension of solid additives (usually metal additives) during storage. It is reported that if very finely pulverized particles of beryllium or aluminum are suspended in the liquid fuel, it is possible to increase the specific impulse substantially. 

The liquid explosives of the type outlined above may serve not only as high explosives but also as propellants for rocket propulsion. Liquids which are not explosives in the strict sense, but which undergo violent decomposition under certain conditions, with heat emission and gas evolution, may also be used for this purpose. The liquids employed for rocket propulsion are called propergols. 

Mixtures of concentrated nitric acid with combustible substances have recently found wide application as liquid propellants for rockets (propergols). 

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