• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.165-173
• /
• 2019

Hydrazine[$N_2H_4$] is a typical propellant for a rocket fuel in the field of aerospace. Since it is very toxic and harmful to the environment, various environmentally-friendly propellants have been developed. In this study, relatively a safe propellant, hydroxylammonium nitrate[$NH_3OHNO_3$], was prepared via a neutralization reaction of hydroxylamine[$NH_2OH$] and nitric acid[$HNO_3$]. FT-IR was used to analyze the chemical composition, chemical structure and functional groups of HAN. Thermogravimetric analysis showed the decomposition temperature of HAN. Ion chromatography was also used to evaluate the content of nitrate ions. It was proved that the peaks of FT-IR at $3161cm^{-1}$ and $1324cm^{-1}$ indicates the functionalities of N-H and N-O present in HAN. The decomposition temperature of HAN synthesized at pH 5 to 7 was $120-140^{\circ}C$, and pH 8 resulted in higher decomposition temperature than $140^{\circ}C$. Meanwhile, the sample obtained from pH 6-7 showed the concentration of nitric acid ion with 70%.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.317-322
• /
• 2020

Hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN; NH₃OHNO₃) is an ionic energy material having a low melting temperature and vapor pressure with a high oxygen balance. To utilize it as an oxidizer for a high content liquid mono-propellant, a dual solvent was used to obtain HAN in a solid particulate form. The dehydrated crystal from an aqueous HAN was washed with dual organic solvents including acetone and ethanol, finally resulting in the moisture content of 13.8 wt%. When acetone was applied as a single solvent, the maximum synthesis yield of 88%, the HAN content evaluated by TGA of 86.2%, and the decomposition temperature ranged 160℃ to 205℃ were achieved.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.256-262
• /
• 2019

Hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN)-based liquid propellants are attracting attention as environmentally friendly propellants because they are not carcinogens and the combustion gases have little toxicity. The catalyst used to decompose the HAN-based liquid propellant in a thruster must have both low temperature activity and high heat resistance. The objective of this study is to prepare an Ru/alumina/metal foam catalyst by supporting alumina slurry on the surface of NiCrAl metal foam using a washing coating method and then to support a ruthenium precursor thereon. The decomposition activity of a HAN aqueous solution of the Ru/alumina/metal foam catalyst was evaluated. The effect of the number of repetitive coatings of alumina slurry on the physical properties of the alumina/metal foam was analyzed. As the number of alumina wash coatings increased, mesopores with a diameter of about 7 nm were well-developed, thereby increasing the surface area and pore volume. It was optimal to repeat the wash coating alumina on the metal foam 12 times to maximize the surface area and pore volume of the alumina/metal foam. Mesopores were also well developed on the surface of the Ru/alumina/metal foam catalyst. It was found that the metal form itself without the active metal and alumina can promote the decomposition reaction of the HAN aqueous solution. In the case of the Ru/alumina/metal foam-550 catalyst, the decomposition onset temperature was significantly lowered compared with that of the thermal decomposition reaction, and ${\Delta}P$ could be greatly increased in the decomposition of the HAN aqueous solution. However, when the catalyst was calcined at $1,200^{\circ}C$, the catalytic activity was lowered inevitably because the surface area and pore volume of the catalyst were drastically reduced and Ru was sintered. Further research is needed to improve the heat resistance of Ru/alumina/metal foam catalysts.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.299-304
• /
• 2013

The HAN which is an ionic liquid is a non-toxic monopropellant with high storability, and its specific impulse can be increased by blending methanol, thereby it can substitute the hydrazine. The HAN was synthesized by acid-base reaction of hydroxylamine and nitric acid, and the blending ratio of HAN and methanol is 8.2:1. The iridium catalyst was used to decompose the HAN, and 1 N class thruster with shower head type injector having one orifice was used to evaluate the HAN/Methanol propellant. The thermal stability of distributor was increased by using ceramic material to endure the high temperature of product gas. The preheating temperature of catalyst should be $400^{\circ}C$ at least for the complete decomposition. The feeding pressure should be increased to increase the $C^*$ efficiency, thereby the decomposition performance was decreased upstream catalyst, and the performance of thruster was decreased. The fine metal mesh was inserted after the injector to improve the atomization of propellant, thereby it can settle the performance decrease problem. The phenomenon of performance decrease was remarkably improved owing to the insertion of fine metal mesh.