Nitronium perchlorate, NO₂ClO₄, also known as nitryl perchlorate and nitroxyl perchlorate, is an inorganic chemical, the

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

of the

perchlorate A perchlorate is a chemical compound containing the perchlorate ion, , the conjugate base of perchloric acid (ionic perchlorate). As counterions, there can be metal cations, quaternary ammonium cations or other ions, for example, nitronium cat ...

anion and the nitronium cation. It forms colorless

monoclinic In crystallography, the monoclinic crystal system is one of the seven crystal systems. A crystal system is described by three Vector (geometric), vectors. In the monoclinic system, the crystal is described by vectors of unequal lengths, as in t ...

crystals. It is

hygroscopic Hygroscopy is the phenomenon of attracting and holding water molecules via either absorption (chemistry), absorption or adsorption from the surrounding Natural environment, environment, which is usually at normal or room temperature. If water mol ...

, and is a strong

oxidizing Redox ( , , reduction–oxidation or oxidation–reduction) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of the reactants change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is ...

and nitrating agent. It may become hypergolic in contact with organic materials. Nitronium perchlorate was investigated as an

oxidizer An oxidizing agent (also known as an oxidant, oxidizer, electron recipient, or electron acceptor) is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or " accepts"/"receives" an electron from a (called the , , or ''electron donor''). In ot ...

in solid rocket propellants. Thomas N. Scortia filed for patent on such propellant in 1963, however, its reactivity and incompatibility with many materials hindered such use. Coating of nitronium perchlorate particles with

ammonium nitrate Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a white crystalline salt consisting of ions of ammonium and nitrate. It is highly soluble in water and hygroscopic as a solid, but does not form hydrates. It is predominantly us ...

, prepared in situ by passing of dry

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the chemical formula, formula . A Binary compounds of hydrogen, stable binary hydride and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinctive pu ...

gas over the particles, was investigated, and a patent was awarded. The decomposition rate of nitronium perchlorate can be altered by doping with multivalent cations. Nitronium perchlorate and ammonium perchlorate do not produce smoke when stoichiometrically burned with non-metallic fuels. Potassium perchlorate and other metal perchlorates generate smoke, as the metal chlorides are solid materials creating

aerosols An aerosol is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air or another gas. Aerosols can be generated from natural or human causes. The term ''aerosol'' commonly refers to the mixture of particulates in air, and not to t ...

of their particles. Of all the perchlorates, nitronium perchlorate is the most powerful oxidizer. It can be easily detonated.Thiokol Propulsion: Rockets Basics - A Guide to Solid Propellant Rocketry
Checked 2009-06-18. Dead link 15 April 2018.

References

External links

* {{perchlorates Nitronium compounds Perchlorates Pyrotechnic oxidizers Rocket oxidizers Oxidizing agents

References

Further reading

External links