Alkynylsilanes as fuels and rocket propellants

• US 20050076560A1
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wiley Organics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wiley Organics Inc.
• Inventors: Kaplan, Gregory, Dobbins, Thomas, Wiley, David B.
• Application Number:
  US10/229,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076560A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 44/320
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 7/0805 comprising only Si, C or H atoms

Abstract

Tri- and tetra-substituted ethynylsilanes wherein the substituents are higher homologs of acetylene (e.g., substituted-ethynyl moieties having 3 to 10 carbon atoms) are described, Alkynylsilanes and, more particularly, high energy fuels and rocket propellants containing an alkynylsilane are also provided.

Claims

1. An alkynylsilane represented by the formula (I) or (II):

2. An alkynylsilane in accordance with claim 1 wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are the same or different and represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

3. An alkynylsilane in accordance with claim 2 selected from the group consisting of tetra(1-propynyl)silane, tri(1-propynyl)-n-propylsilane, tri(2-cyclopropylethynyl)methylsilane, and tetra(2-cyclopropylethynyl)silane.

4. An alkynylsilane in accordance with claim 1, which is 1,4-Bis-[di(1-propynyl)methylsilyl]-1,3-butadiyne.

5. A fuel composition comprising an alkynylsilane, wherein said alkynylsilane is represented by the formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV):

6. The fuel composition of claim 5 wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ arc the same or different and represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

7. The fuel composition of claim 6 wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are the same or different and represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

8. The fuel composition of claim 5 wherein said alkynylsilane is selected from the group consisting of trimethylsilyl-1-propyne;

dimethyl-dipropynylsilane;

methyl-tripropynylsilane;

tetra(1-propynyl)silane;

tri(1-propynyl)-n-propylsilane;

tri(2-cyclopropylethynyl)methylsilane;

tetra(2-cyclopropylethynyl)silane;

di(2-cyclopropylethynyl)dimethylsilane;

ethynyl-di-(1-propynyl)methylsilane;

1,4-Bis-[di(1-propynyl)methylsilyl]-1,3-butadiyne and combinations thereof.

9. The fuel composition of claim 5 further comprising a fuel selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, octane, decane, methanol, ethanol, propanol, kerosene, gasoline, ethylene, propylene, butadiene, methylacetylene, organoaminc, hydrazine and combinations thereof.

10. The fuel composition of claim 5 wherein said fuel composition is hypergolic when brought into contact with nitrogen tetroxide.

11. The fuel composition of claim 10 wherein said alkynylsilane is selected from the group consisting of allyltripropynylsilane, vinyltripropynylsilane and mixtures thereof.

12. A propellant comprising a fuel composition and an oxidizer wherein said fuel composition comprises an alkynylsilane, wherein said alkynylsilane is represented by the formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV)

13. The propellant of claim 12 wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are the same or different and represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

14. The propellant of claim 13 wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are the same or different and represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

15. The propellant of claim 12 further comprising a fuel selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, octane, decane, methanol, ethanol, propanol, kerosene, gasoline, ethylene, propylene, butadiene, methylacetylene, organoamine, hydrazine and combinations thereof.

16. The propellant of claim 12 wherein said oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of liquid oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and nitrogen tetroxide.

17. The propellant of claim 12 wherein said alkynylsilane is selected from the group consisting of allyltripropynylsilane, vinyltripropynylsilane and mixtures thereof and said oxidizer comprises nitrogen tetroxide.

18. A method for producing a propellant comprising contacting a fuel with an oxidizer wherein said fuel comprises an alkynylsilane, wherein said alkynylsilane is represented by the formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV)

19. The method of claim 18 wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are the same or different and represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are the same Or different and represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein said alkynylsilane is selected from the group consisting of trimethylsilyl-1-propyne;

dimethyl-dipropynylsilane;

methyl-tripropynylsilane;

tetra(1-propynyl)silane;

tri(1-propynyl)-n-propylsilane;

tri(2-cyclopropylethynyl)methylsilane;

tetra(2-cyclopropylethynyl)silane, di(2-cyclopropylethynyl)dimethylsilane;

ethynyl-di-(1-propynyl)methylsilane;

1,4-Bis-[di(1-propynyl)methylsilyl]-1,3-butadiyne and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein said fuel composition further comprises a fuel selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, octane, decane, methanol, ethanol, propanol, kerosene, gasoline, ethylene, propylene, butadiene, methylacetylene, organoamine, hydrazine and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein said alkynylsilane is selected from the group consisting of allyltripropynylsilane, vinyltripropynylsilane and mixtures thereof and said oxidizer comprises nitrogen tetroxide.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein said oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of liquid oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and nitrogen tetroxide.