Gas generating compositions based on salts of 5-nitraminotetrazole

• US 5,516,377 A
• Filed: 01/10/1994
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Thiokol Corporation (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Doll, Daniel W., Lund, Gary K., Blau, Reed J., Hinshaw, Jerald C., Highsmith, Thomas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollinden, Gary E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANTHONY, JOSEPH DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/179,736
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 149/46, 149/47, 149/55, 149/56, 149/62, 149/78, 149/92, 149/99, 149/105, 149/106, 149/36, 149/19.1, 149/109.2, 149/18
• US Class Current: 149/18
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/06 by reaction of two or more solids

Abstract

A composition is provided which has at least one salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole and an at least one oxidizer selected from among inorganic nitrates, inorganic nitrites, metal oxides, metal peroxides, organic peroxides, inorganic perchlorates, inorganic chlorates, metal hydroxides, and mixtures thereof. The compositions are useful in the gas generant field.

Claims

1. A gas generant composition comprising a fuel effective amount of at least one metal salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole and an oxidizing effective amount of at least one oxidizer selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal peroxides, metal hydroxides, and mixture thereof, wherein combustion of said composition produces a gas useful for inflating automobile air bags and a solid slag.

2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole contains a cation of a metal from Group Ia, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IVb, VIb, VIIb or VIII of the Periodic Table (Merck Index (9th Edition 1976)).

3. A composition according to claim 1, wherein said salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole contains a complex metal ammine cation.

4. A composition according to claim 1, wherein said oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of CuO, Co₂ O₃, Fe₂ O₃, MoO₃, Bi₂ MoO₆, Bi₂ O₃, Cu(OH)₂, and mixtures thereof.

5. A composition according to claim 1, wherein said composition contains about 20 to about 80% by weight of fuel.

6. A composition according to claim 1, wherein said composition contains about 20 to about 80% by weight of fuel, and said salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole contains a cation of a metal from Group Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IVb, VIb, VIIb or VIII of the Period Table (Merck Index (9th Edition 1976)), a secondary oxidizer, and a binder.

7. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole has a cation selected from the group consisting of cobalt and zinc.

8. A composition according to claim 7, wherein said oxidizer is a metal oxide or hydroxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of bismuth, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and tungsten.

9. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the oxidizer does not contain a cation of a metal from Group I-A of the Periodic Table.

10. A composition according to claim 9, wherein said salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole does not contain a cation of an alkali metal.

11. A composition according to claim 1, wherein said composition includes a secondary fuel.

12. A composition according to claim 11, wherein said secondary fuel is selected from the group consisting of a metal dicyanamide, a metal bitetrazole, tetrazoles, aminotetrazoles, triazoles, salts and complexes thereof, and mixtures thereof.

13. A composition according to claim 11, wherein the secondary fuel is an alkali metal dicyanamide or an alkaline earth metal dicyanamide.

14. A composition according to claim 11, wherein secondary fuel is a transition metal dicyanamide.

15. A gas generant composition consisting essentially of:

a fuel effective amount of at least one metal salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of metals of Group Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IVb, VIb, VIIb or VIII of the Period Table (Merck Index (9th Edition

     1976));

an oxidizing effective amount of an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal peroxides, metal hydroxides, and mixtures thereof;

a secondary oxidizer;

a secondary fuel selected from the group consisting of a metal dicyanamide, a metal bitetrazole, tetrazoles, aminotetrazoles, triazoles, salts and complexes thereof, and mixtures thereof; and

a binder, wherein combustion of said composition produces a gas useful for inflating automobile air bags and a solid slag.

16. A gas generant composition according to claim 15, wherein the metal salt of 5-nitraminotetrazole has a cation selected from the group consisting of cobalt and zinc.

17. A gas generant composition according to claim 15, wherein the oxidizer is a metal oxide or hydroxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of bismuth, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and tungsten.

18. A gas generant composition according to claim 15, wherein the oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of CuO, Co₂ O₃, Fe₂ O₃, MoO₃, Bi₂ O₃, Cu(OH)₂, and mixtures thereof.