Synergistic Hypergolic Ignition of Amino End Group in Monomers and Polymers

Abstract

A few monomers, oligomers and polymers with amino end groups have been discovered to undergo synergistic ignition with red fuming nitric acid (RFNA) when mixed with large quantities of magnesium powder. Aluminium powder under similar conditions does not ignite the mixture while powders of Zn, Co and Cu cause the ignition. Amongst the polymers used in the experiment commercially available nylon 6 is the most important which may be used as a binder for rocket propellant fuel grains, hypergolic with RFNA. Degree of polymerisation or the chain length of the polymers does not drastically affect the synergistic ignition of the polymer mixture with magnesium powder but high molecular weight and fully aromatised polymers like Kevlar and Nomex fail to ignite under similar conditions. Based upon the earlier work of the authors, explanations for the phenomena oberved have been provided in terms of creation of hot spots leading to ignition at the amino end groups.