Gas Generant Compositions

Abstract

A fuel component for an airbag inflator, dinitrosalyicylic acid and derivatives thereof, is used as a primary fuel in a gas generating composition 12. A novel gas generating composition 12, containing the primary fuel, and phase stabilized ammonium nitrate is also provided. The fuel component may be contained within a gas generant composition 12, within a gas generator 10. The gas generator 10 may be contained within a gas generating system 200 such as an airbag inflator 10 or seat belt assembly 150, or more broadly within a vehicle occupant protection system 180.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas generating composition comprising:
 a fuel having a structural formula of or derived from the following structural formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and phase stabilized ammonium nitrate as an oxidizer. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of item  1  comprising a fuel selected from a metallic or nonmetallic salt of said structural formula. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of item  1  comprising a fuel selected from an adduct of said structure with another compound, wherein said adduct with said other compound forms a hydrogen bonded complex. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of item  2  wherein said metallic salt is an alkali or alkaline earth metal salt. 
     
     
         5 . A gas generating composition comprising:
 a fuel selected from 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, a metal or non-metal salt of 3,5 dinitrosalicylic acid, an adduct of 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid and mixtures thereof; and   an oxidizer wet mixed with said fuel, said oxidizer selected from ammonium nitrate and phase stabilized ammonium nitrate.   
     
     
         6 . A gas generating composition comprising:
 a primary fuel selected from 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, a metal or non-metal salt of 3,5 dinitrosalicylic acid, an adduct of 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, and mixtures thereof, said primary fuel provided at about 5-80 weight percent of said composition;   a second fuel selected from the group consisting of tetrazoles and salts thereof; triazoles and salts thereof azoles and salts thereof guanidines and salts thereof; guanidine derivatives; imides; amides; aliphatic carboxylic acids and salts thereof; aromatic carboxylic acids and salts thereof nitro-aromatic carboxylic acids and salts thereof; nitrosalicylic acids and salts thereof; amines; nitrophenols; pyrazoles; imidazoles; azines; and mixtures thereof, said secondary fuel provided at about 0-50 weight percent of said composition; and   a primary oxidizer selected from metal and nonmetal nitrates, nitrites, chlorates, perchlorates, oxides, hydroxides, basic metal nitrates, and mixtures thereof, said primary oxidizer provided at about 20-80 weight percent of said composition.   
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6  comprising an oxidizer selected from phase stabilized ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, strontium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein said second fuel is selected from the group consisting of diammonium salt of 5,5 40  -bis-1H-tetrazole, monoammonium salt of bis tetrazole amine, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein said primary fuel is selected from dinitrosalicylic acid, ammonium dinitrosalicylic acid, potassium dinitrosalicylic acid, strontium dinitrosalicylic acid, copper dinitrosalicylic acid, and mixtures thereof 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein said primary fuel is provided at about 25-80 weight percent of said composition; said secondary fuel is provided at about 0.1-30 weight percent of said composition; and said primary oxidizer is provided at about 25-75 weight percent of said composition. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein said primary fuel is potassium dinitrosalicylic acid at about 27 weight percent of said composition, and ammonium nitrate at about 73 weight percent of said composition. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein said primary fuel is ammonium dinitrosalicylic acid at about 10-20 weight percent, said secondary fuel is diammonium salt of 5,5′-bis-1H-tetrazole at about 3-15 weight percent, and said oxidizer is ammonium nitrate at about 60-75 weight percent and potassium nitrate at about 5-10 weight percent.