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Abstract:
This report summarizes the experimental and theoretical research effort undertaken to study and identify some of the chemical pathways involved in the hypergolic ignition of mixtures consisting of room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) and suitable oxidizers such as nitric acid. Our aim in this work was to provide accurate mechanistic data on recently discovered hypergolic ILs that can be used to build a chemical kinetics ignition model to simulate the ignition delay time, a quantity of significant importance in the design and implementation of hypergolic rocket engines. The mechanistic information can also be used for developing reactive molecular dynamics models and correlation algorithms to create ?first-principle? design tools to predict new hypergolic combinations prior to any effort to synthesize the fuel molecules. Availability of such computational tools would provide a mitigation strategy for the risks (cost and time) currently involved in the trial-and-error approach to first synthesize the IL and then test it to verify its behavior. An added feature of hypergolic IL fuels is their inherent low vapor pressures. Implementation of such fuels would result in lowering of vapor toxicity exposures and reduction in emissions to the environment. Consequently, fielding of such ?green? IL fuels in future propulsion systems will provide significant logistical, operational and supportability cost savings to the DoD.
| Limitations: |
 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE |
| Description: |
Final rept. 29 Oct 2003-30 Sep 2010 |
| Pages: |
55 |
| Report Date: |
SEP 2010 |
| Report Number: |
A376645 |
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