Study identifies trace metals in propellant, reports method to mitigate decompositionA salt used to
Study identifies trace metals in propellant, reports method to mitigate decompositionA salt used to create a green rocket fuel is known to decompose metals—such as those in metal propellant storage tanks. Recent research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that there are also trace metals in the fuel itself and investigated a way to slow the decomposition using compounds that bind to metals.“We knew from previous studies that metals work as a catalyst for decomposition in hydroxylammonium nitrate—a flight-proven monopropellant that you don’t have to wear a HAZMAT suit around—but we didn’t know the rate it decomposes, particularly when it’s exposed to heat,” said Emil Broemmelsiek, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at UIUC. “The study I did focused on atmospheric pressure, so more like storage conditions. Over time, HAN in storage can dissolve the steel tank, which contains enough iron to catalyze the decomposition process."In the HAN samples from the manufacturer, we found trace amounts of metals—about a part-per-million level—but even those trace impurities have a catalytic effect. In this study, I checked the temperature at which it decomposes and how fast it decomposes. Then I used additives to see if they could be used to remove the metals. And it worked.”Read more. -- source link
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