Autoignition material and method

Abstract

An autoignition material is provided which contains azodicarbonamide (ADCA) serving as a fuel and an oxidizer including at least basic copper nitrate (BCN) as an oxidizing agent for oxidizing the fuel, present in a ratio of ADCA to BCN of at least about 0.5, and a binder, present in a relative amount of no more than 5 weight percent of the autoignition material, serving as a binding agent for binding at least the fuel and the oxidizer, wherein the autoignition material has an equivalence ratio of less than about 0.8.

1 . An autoignition material comprising: 
 azodicarbonamide serving as a fuel;    an oxidizer component comprising basic copper nitrate and serving as an oxidizing agent for oxidizing the fuel, the azodicarbonamide and basic copper nitrate present in a ratio of azodicarbonamide to basic copper nitrate of greater than about 0.5; and    a binder serving as a binding agent for binding at least the fuel and the oxidizing agent, the binder present in a relative amount of no more than about 5 weight percent of the autoignition material;    wherein the autoignition material has an equivalence ratio of less than about 0.8.    
   
   
       2 . The autoignition material of  claim 1  wherein the azodicarbonamide and basic copper nitrate are present in a ratio of azodicarbonamide to basic copper nitrate of greater than about 0.65.  
   
   
       3 . The autoignition material of  claim 1  wherein the azodicarbonamide and basic copper nitrate are present in a ratio of azodicarbonamide to basic copper nitrate of greater than about 0.70.  
   
   
       4 . The autoignition material of  claim 1  wherein the azodicarbonamide is present in a relative amount of about 30 to about 50 composition weight percent.  
   
   
       5 . The autoignition material of  claim 1  wherein the basic copper nitrate is present in a relative amount of about 50 to about 70 composition weight percent.  
   
   
       6 . The autoignition material of  claim 1  wherein the oxidizer component additionally comprises at least one co-oxidizer.  
   
   
       7 . The autoignition material of  claim 1  wherein the oxidizer component additionally comprises at least one co-oxidizer selected from the group consisting of at least one alkaline metal nitrate, at least one alkaline earth metal nitrate and at least one metal ammine nitrate complex.  
   
   
       8 . The autoignition material of  claim 1  wherein the binder comprises ethyl cellulose.  
   
   
       9 . The autoignition material of  claim 1  wherein the autoignition material consists essentially of azodicarbonamide, basic copper nitrate and a binder.  
   
   
       10 . A gas-supplying inflator device comprising the autoignition material of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       11 . In the gas-supplying inflator device of  claim 10  wherein the gas supplying inflator device additionally comprises a quantity of gas generant material, a method of igniting the gas generant material, the method comprising: 
 causing the autoignition material to reach an autoignition temperature whereupon the autoignition material ignites the gas generant material.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the autoignition temperature is in a range of about 145° C. to about 175°.  
   
   
       13 . An autoignition material consisting essentially of: 
 azodicarbonamide serving as a fuel;    basic copper nitrate serving as an oxidizing agent for oxidizing the fuel, the azodicarbonamide and basic copper nitrate present in a ratio of azodicarbonamide to basic copper nitrate of greater than about 0.5; and    a binder serving as a binding agent for binding the azodicarbonamide and basic copper nitrate, the binder present in a relative amount of no more than about 5 weight percent of the autoignition material;    wherein, the autoignition material has an equivalence ratio of less than about 0.8.    
   
   
       14 . The autoignition material of  claim 13  wherein the binder comprises ethyl cellulose.  
   
   
       15 . A gas-supplying inflator device containing the autoignition material of  claim 13 .  
   
   
       16 . In the gas-supplying inflator device of  claim 15  wherein the gas supplying inflator device additionally contains a quantity of gas generant material, a method of igniting the gas generant material, the method comprising: 
 causing the autoignition material to reach an autoignition temperature whereupon the autoignition material ignites the gas generant material.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the autoignition temperature is in a range of about 145° to about 175° C.