Hypergolic bipropellants

Abstract

A hypergolic bipropellant. The hypergolic bipropellant includes an ionic liquid fuel and nitric acid, which is operable as an oxidizer. The ionic liquid fuel comprises an open chain amine having at least one quarternized nitrogen and a dicyanamide anion.

1 . A hypergolic bipropellant comprising:
 a) an ionic liquid fuel comprising:
 (1) an open chain amine having at least one quarternized nitrogen; and 
 (2) a dicyanamide anion; and 
   b) nitric acid operable as an oxidizer.   
     
     
         2 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 1 , wherein the open chain amine having at least one quarternized nitrogen is selected from the group consisting of hydrazinium cations, guanidinum cations, and formadinium cations. 
     
     
         3 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 1 , wherein the nitric acid is selected from the group consisting of white fuming nitric acid, red fuming nitric acid, inhibited red fuming nitric acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 1 , wherein the open chain amine having at least one quarternized nitrogen has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5  is separately selected from the group consisting of H, NH 2 , an alkenyl, an alkylnyl, a strained-ring, and a high-nitrogen moiety. 
       
     
     
         5 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 4 , wherein the high-nitrogen moiety is selected from the group consisting of an azidoalkyl, a cyanoalkyl, an aminoalkyl, and a hydrazinoalkyl. 
     
     
         6 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 1 , wherein the open chain amine having at least one quarternized nitrogen has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  is separately selected from the group consisting of H, NH 2 , an alkenyl, an alkylnyl, a strained-ring, and a high-nitrogen moiety 
     
     
         7 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 6 , wherein the high-nitrogen moiety is selected from the group consisting of an azidoalkyl, a cyanoalkyl, an aminoalkyl, and a hydrazinoalkyl. 
     
     
         8 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 1 , wherein the open chain amine having at least one quarternized nitrogen has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  is separately selected from the group consisting of H, NH 2 , an alkenyl, an alkylnyl, a strained-ring, and a high-nitrogen moiety 
     
     
         9 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 8 , wherein the high-nitrogen moiety is selected from the group consisting of an azidoalkyl, a cyanoalkyl, an aminoalkyl, and a hydrazinoalkyl. 
     
     
         10 . A hypergolic bipropellant system comprising:
 a first component comprising:
 an ionic liquid fuel comprising:
 (1) an open chain amine having at least one quarternized nitrogen; and 
 (2) a dicyanamide anion; and 
 
   a second component comprising:
 nitric acid operable as an oxidizer, 
   
       wherein mixing of the first component with the second component is configured to cause an ignition. 
     
     
         11 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 10 , wherein the open chain amine having at least one quarternized nitrogen is selected from the group consisting of hydrazinium cations, guanidinum cations, and formadinium cations. 
     
     
         12 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 10 , wherein the nitric acid is selected from the group consisting of white fuming nitric acid, red fuming nitric acid, inhibited red fuming nitric acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The hypergolic bipropellant of  claim 10 , wherein ignition occurs within 75 msec of mixing the first component with the second component. 
     
     
         14 . A hypergolic bipropellant system comprising:
 a first component comprising:
 an ionic liquid fuel comprising:
 (1) a hydrazinium nitrate; and 
 (2) a dicyanamide anion; and 
 
   a second component comprising:
 nitric acid operable as an oxidizer, 
   
       wherein mixing of the first component with the second component is configured to cause an ignition. 
     
     
         15 . The hypergolic bipropellant system of  claim 14 , wherein the hydrazinium nitrate is 2-hydroxyethyl hydrazinium nitrate. 
     
     
         16 . The hypergolic bipropellant system of  claim 14 , wherein the dicyanamide anion is trimethyl-azidoethyl ammonium dicyanamide. 
     
     
         17 . The hypergolic bipropellant system of  claim 14 , wherein the nitric acid is selected from the group consisting of white fuming nitric acid, red fuming nitric acid, inhibited red fuming nitric acid, and combinations thereof.