Catalytic Decomposition of Hydroxylammonium Nitrate Ionic Liquid: Enhancement of NO Formation

Abstract

Hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) is a promising candidate to replace highly toxic hydrazine in monopropellant thruster space applications. The reactivity of HAN aerosols on heated copper and iridium targets was investigated using tunable vacuum ultraviolet photoionization time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometry. The reaction products were identified by their mass-to-charge ratios and their ionization energies. Products include NH3, H2O, NO, hydroxylamine (HA), HNO3, and a small amount of NO2 at high temperature. No N2O was detected under these experimental conditions, despite the fact that N2O is one of the expected products according to the generally accepted thermal decomposition mechanism of HAN. Upon introduction of iridium catalyst, a significant enhancement of the NO/HA ratio was observed. This observation indicates that the formation of NO via decomposition of HA is an important pathway in the catalytic decomposition of HAN.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 24, 2017
Accession Number
AD1036615

Entities

People

  • Denisia M. Popolan-vaida
  • Ghanshyam L Vaghjiani
  • Stephen R. Leone
  • Steven D Chambreau

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • California
  • Chemical Kinetics
  • Chemical Reaction Properties
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemistry
  • Decomposition
  • Dissociation
  • Energy
  • High Temperature
  • Ionization
  • Mass Spectrometers
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Photoionization
  • Physical Chemistry
  • United States

Readers

  • Marine Ecotoxicology
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster