Rocket, chemical

Launching a satellite from earth could not be done with the low thrusts of cuiTently conceived ion rockets. Chemical rockets, which can generate large amounts of thrust, will be needed for the foreseeable future. 

WD-40 is a proprietary formula composed of aliphatic petroleum distillates, petroleum base oil, carbon dioxide, and other nonhazardous ingredients. In 1953, the Rocket Chemical Company set out to create a line of rust prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry. On the fortieth attempt, they succeeded in formulating an effective water-displacing/lubricating formula, which they called WD-40. This product worked so well that it was used to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from oxidation. It worked so well that employees of Rocket Chemical would sneak out cans of the formula for use in their own homes. The company produced a consumer version of the product in 1958, and since then people have used WD-40 on virtually everything. 

Dimeihylamine, C2H7N, (CH3)2NH. Colourless, inflammable liquid with an ammoniacal odour, mp -96" C, b.p. 7°C. Occurs naturally in herring brine. Prepared in the laboratory by treating nitrosodimetbyl-aniline with a hot solution of sodium hydroxide. Dimethylamine is largely used in the manufacture of other chemicals. These include the solvents dimethylacetamide and dimethyl-formamide, the rocket propellant unsym-metrical dimethylhydrazine, surface-active agents, herbicides, fungicides and rubber accelerators. 

Rocket Propellants. SoHd rocket propellants are mostly based on chemically cross-linked polymeric elastomers to provide the mechanical properties required in launchings and the environmental conditions experienced in storage, shipment, and handling (see Elastomers, synthetic). Double-and triple-based nitrocellulose propellants are also employed as rocket propellants. 

The procedures used for estimating the service life of solid rocket and gun propulsion systems include physical and chemical tests after storage at elevated temperatures under simulated field conditions, modeling and simulation of propellant strains and bond tine characteristics, measurements of stabilizer content, periodic surveillance tests of systems received after storage in the field, and extrapolation of the service life from the detailed data obtained (21—33). 

RocketPropella.nts, Liquid propellants have long been used to obtain maximum controUabiUty of rocket performance and, where required, maximum impulse. Three classes of rocket monopropellants exist that differ ia the chemical reactions that release energy (/) those consisting of, eg, hydrogen peroxide, ethylene oxide, C2H4O and nitroethane, CH2CH2NO2 that can undergo internal oxidation—reduction reactions (2) those... 

The Annual Proceedings of the Joiat Army-Navy-Air Force (JANNAF) Propulsion Meetings, the reports of the special committees, and the periodic hterature surveys pubHshed by the Chemical Propulsion Information Agency including the aimual Chemical Propulsion Abstracts are iuvaluable sources of information on all aspects of Hquid and soHd gun and rocket propellants. They maybe classified. 

M. H. Smith, "The Literature of Rocket Propulsion," ia The Eiterature of Chemical Technology, Mdvances in Chemisty, Series No. 74, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1968, p. 581. 

S. S. Peimer, Chemical Rocket Propulsion and Combustion Research, Gordon and Breach Science PubHshers, New York, 1962. 

Chemical Rocket/PropeUant Ha2ards," mEiquidPropellant Handling, Storage and Transportation, CPEA Publication No. 194, Vol. 3, CPLA, Silver Spriug, Md., May 1970, Chapt. 8. 

Oxygea difluoride is mainly a laboratory chemical. It has beea suggested as an oxidizer for rocket appHcations and has been used for small tests ia this area. 

Hydrazine—borane compounds are made by the reaction of sodium borohydride and a hydrazine salt in THF (23,24). The mono-(N2H4 BH ) and di-(N2H4 2BH2) adducts are obtained, depending on the reaction conditions. These compounds have been suggested as rocket fuels (25) and for chemical deposition of nickel—boron alloys on nonmetallic surfaces (see Metallic COATINGS) (26). 

S. Gordon and B. J. McBride, "Computer Program for Calculation of Complex Chemical Equilibrium Composition, Rocket Performance, Incident and Reflected Shocks, and Chapman-Jouget Detonations," NASA SP-273, Interim Revision, NTIS, Springfield, Va., Mar. 1976. 

Naphthalenediol. This diol is made by the fusion of sodium 2,7-naphthalenedisulfonate with molten sodium hydroxide at 280—300°C in ca 80% yield. A formaldehyde resin prepared from this diol has excellent erosion resistance, strength, and chemical inertness it is used as an ablative material in rocket-exhaust environments (76). 

Products can be found in every principal market area including rocket motor and shell casings, air and gas pressure tanks, aircraft wing fuel tanks, utihty poles, automotive and tmck drive shafts, sailboat masts, vaulting poles, fishing rods, golf shafts, railroad tanks cars, and pipes and tanks for oil, gas, and chemical processing. 

An important appHcation is for filament-wound glass-reinforced pipe used in oil fields, chemical plants, water distribution, and as electrical conduits. Low viscosity Hquid systems having good mechanical properties (elongation at break) when cured are preferred. These are usually cured with Hquid anhydride or aromatic-amine hardeners. Similar systems are used for filament-win ding pressure botdes and rocket motor casings. 

Pb as the vessel burst pressure in bars. Other sources are Baker Explosion Hazards and Evaluation, Elsevier, 1983, p. 492) and Chemical Propulsion Information Agency Hazards of Chemical Rockets and Propellants Handbook, voT. 1 NTIS, Virginia, May 1972, pp. 2-56, 2-60). 

The conversion of chemical energy by oxidative processes at high temperatures is a major source of heat for many industrial processes and, on a more sophisticated plane, for the propulsion of aircraft and advanced rockets, such as the Shuttle. The generation of high temperatures by these reactions... 

No fewer than 14 pure metals have densities se4.5 Mg (see Table 10.1). Of these, titanium, aluminium and magnesium are in common use as structural materials. Beryllium is difficult to work and is toxic, but it is used in moderate quantities for heat shields and structural members in rockets. Lithium is used as an alloying element in aluminium to lower its density and save weight on airframes. Yttrium has an excellent set of properties and, although scarce, may eventually find applications in the nuclear-powered aircraft project. But the majority are unsuitable for structural use because they are chemically reactive or have low melting points." ... 

Hypergolic A hypergolic mixture ignites upon contact of the components without any external source of ignition (heat or flame). The only field, in which this is a desirable event, is in rocket fuel research. Accidental mixing of incompatible materials can lead to a fire or explosion. Here is one example provided by the staff at ILPI of what can happen, when incompatibles are mixed. Always read the labels on your bottles (don t assume a chemical s identity by the shape, size, or color of the bottle), and know what materials are incompatible with the chemicals that you are using. 

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