US2933381A

US2933381A - Rocket propellants

Info

Publication number: US2933381A
Application number: US606205A
Authority: US
Inventors: Simon L Ruskin
Original assignee: Union Carbide Corp
Current assignee: Union Carbide Corp
Priority date: 1956-08-27
Filing date: 1956-08-27
Publication date: 1960-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 1977-04-19

Description

2,933,381 nocrnzr PROPELLANTS Simon L. Ruskin, New York, N.Y., assignor to-Union Carbide Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application August 27, 1956 Serial No'. 606,205

1 Claim. (Cl. 52-.5)

My invention relates to rocket fuels and the likewhereby the free energy stored in organic compounds are burned producing a hot gas and an explosive impulse capable of propelling a rocket or other device.

While organic compounds have hitherto been employed for such purposes, it has been found that organic. residues tend to form at the jet end. of the rocket obstructing the outflow and diminishing the efficiency of the combustion as well as the propellant. Incomplete utilization of the fuel leads to abortive results in propulsion. A still further difficulty with rocket fuels is that the explosive state of the fuel is highly dangerous to personnel handling the fuel prior to the launching of the rocket. Hitherto it was found that the better the fuel, the greater was the problem of handling.

I have found that these difficulties may be overcome by reacting a unique preparation, to be described below; and an organic compound. In the reaction of this invention, graphitic acid which has been made into paste with hydrofluoric acid, is combusted by aluminum triethyl or its analogues or other spontaneously inflammable metal alkyl or ryl compounds.

One of the ideal reactions desired in a rocket fuel is the interaction of nitrogen, oxygen and fluorine with a possible arrangement of at. F

ifpossible burned with atomic hydrogen. No such compound has hitherto been attained. I have found that a reaction involving nitrogen, oxygen and fluorine can be catalyzed during explosion of my system of compounds. To .prepare my graphitic acid I may use potassium chlorate and nitric acid or potassium chlorate, nitric and sulphuric acid. When employing nitric acid of 90% to 95% (red acid) a green to brown or red color results. The graphite is wetted, swells up and disintegrates. The excess potassium is evaporated 01f leaving a brownish to reddish mass but evaporation is mild enough not to diminish the increased volume which the graphite has assumed. Both oxygen and hydrogen are taken up between the aromatic lattice structure of the graphite and an estimated composition of C 0 with water adsorbed on the surface of the colloidal material. The color of the composition may vary with the amount of Water adsorbed. Between the sheets of the lattice structure of the graphite there are also trapped nitrate radicals. The insertion of the oxygen and nitrogen atoms between the graphite sheets forces them apart and alters the spacing to twice or three times the normal 3.4 A. To induce greater reactivity of the graphite I irradiate the graphite with 100 million R. to 400 million R. by either a cobalt 2,933,381 V Patented Apr. 19, 1960 60 source, high voltage or neutron flux.

The semi-dry mass is now made into a paste by the addition of a 35% aqueous hydrogen fluoride. The presence of the adsorbed Water on the surface of the graphite lattice inhibits spontaneous explosion by combination of the hydrogen fluoride with the carbon.v Either the removal of the adsorbed water or heat is required to initiate the explosion. This composite material which I designate graphigen" becomes violently explosive when aluminum triethyl is added in the presence of air. Carbon monoxide and dioxide are formed. The reaction then proceeds to the formation of mellitic acid which is completely com busted to CO and water. In the intense heat the water is ionized to atomic oxygen and hydrogen. The residue is fine crystallites of graphite which are not adherent to the jet end of the rocket.

The layer of adsorbed water between the lattice structure of the graphite intensifies the reaction of the aluminum triethyl leading to thecomplete combustion.

To instantaneously trigger the explosion of the alumninum triethyl and the graphigen I may add a solution of ammonium chloride in liquid ammonium thus providing atomic hydrogen according to the following formula.

nium salts or amides in liquid ammonium.

Example 1 100 grams of finely divided graphite is mixed with 300 grams of potassium chlorate and sufiicient red acid (90% nitric acid) to give a liquid mass. It is allowed to stand for four to six days. As the nitric acid is absorbed it is renewed four or five times until a yellow red mass results. It is allowed to dry at room temperature. a While heating in a water bath hastens the reaction, it may also be conducted at room temperature. The graphigen may be stored in this condition at room temperature. Before use, the graphigen is soaked in 35% hydrogen fluoride for several hours and the rocket cartridge filled therewith. The aluminum triethyl contained in glass lined jet container sealed under argon is arranged so that a stream of aluminum triethyl may be sprayed on the graphigen simultaneously with a stream of ammonium chloride in liquid ammonium.

Detonation may be accomplished also by standard methods commonly practiced in the art.

What I claim is:

A rocket fuel consisting essentially of a mixture of an aqueous solution of hydrogen fluoride with graphitic acid, said graphitic acid being the partially dried product of the combination of finely-divided graphite with an alkali- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Aylsworth Apr. 27, 1915 OTHER REFERENCES Sidgwick: Chemical Elements and Their Compounds, Oxford Univ. Press, London (1950), vol. 1, pp. 494-6.