THE ROLE OF ALUMINUM AND ITS OXIDES AS SOURCES OR MODERATORS OF ELECTRONS IN SOLID PROPELLANT ROCKET EXHAUSTS.
Abstract
Studies were made of the photoelectric properties of flame-treated aluminum oxide and rocket exhaust particle samples. The materials exhibit similar properties. The thermionic work function of rocket exhaust particles is probably one or two tenths of an eV below the photoelectric value, 3.7 eV. Previous reports have primarily considered the role of particles as thermionic sources of electrons; attention is now turned to indirect processes such as surface ionization, surface recombination, and surface chemionization. Particle surface area per gram of particles and a parameter related to thermionic emission were estimated from published data about particle size distributions. From estimates of particle surface area per cc of exhaust gas the inference is made that ionization kinetics may be appreciably affected by the presence of particulate matter in the exhaust gases of aluminized propellant rockets. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0431259
Entities
People
- G. Neil Spokes
Organizations
- SRI International