Morton International, Inc.

Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Thiokol Corporation

Morton Thiokol Inc.

Autoliv Development Ab

Michael W Barnes

Robert D Taylor

Ivan V Mendenhall

Thomas M Deppert

Christopher Hock

Michael Perry Jordan

Anthony P Manzara

Clifford E Kristofferson

Kenneth J Kolonko

David W Parkinson

Bradley D Harris

Darrin L Johnson

Brett Hussey

Guy R Letendre

Alan J Ward

Virginia E Chandler

Matthew A Cox

Scott C Mitson

Gary Smith

S John Bennett

Lydia L Biegert

Kristy Woodward Swanson

Alkali metal perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions which, upon combustion, produce or result in an improved effluent and related methods for generating an inflation gas for use in an inflatable restraint system are provided. Such alkali metal perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions include at least one alkali metal perchlorate present with a mean particle size in excess of 100 microns. Such alkali metal perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions also include or contain a suitable non-azide, organic, nitrogen-containing fuel and at least one copper-containing compound selected from the group consisting of basic copper nitrate, cupric oxide, copper diammine dinitrate-ammonium nitrate mixture wherein ammonium nitrate is present in the mixture in a range of about 3 to about 90 weight percent, copper diammine bitetrazole, a copper-nitrate complex resulting from reaction of 5-aminotetrazole with basic copper nitrate and combinations thereof.

Alkali metal perchlorate-containing gas generants

Ammonium perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions which, upon combustion, produce or result in an improved effluent and related methods for generating an inflation gas for use in an inflatable restraint system are provided. Such ammonium perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions include ammonium perchlorate present with a mean particle size in excess of 100 microns. Such ammonium perchlorate-containing gas generant compositions also include or contain a chlorine scavenger present in an amount effective to result in a gaseous effluent that is substantially free of hydrogen chloride when the gas generant is combusted, wherein at least about 98 weight percent of the chlorine scavenger is a copper-containing compound. Suitable copper-containing chlorine scavenger compounds include basic copper nitrate, cupric oxide, copper diammine dinitrate-ammonium nitrate mixture wherein ammonium nitrate is present in the mixture in a range of about 3 to about 90 weight percent, copper diammine bitetrazole, a copper-nitrate complex resulting from reaction of 5-aminotetrazole with basic copper nitrate and combinations thereof.

Ammonium perchlorate-containing gas generants

A method for increasing the burn rate of a gas generant formulation is provided involving the addition of a quantity of at least one transition metal complex of diammonium bitetrazole to the gas generant formulation.

Burn rate enhancement via a transition metal complex of diammonium bitetrazole

A gas generant material body in the form of a tablet having a triangular cross section and associated methods of gas generation are provided.

Tablet form of gas generant

Basic copper nitrate-containing gas generant compositions and associated methods are provided for producing or resulting in increased burn rates via the inclusion of an effective amount of one or more metal (e.g., Al, Ti, Zn, Mg and/or Zr) oxide additives.

Burn rate-enhanced basic copper nitrate-containing gas generant

An igniter composition for a gas generant and related methods of gas generation are provided in which, in addition to a boron fuel component and an oxidizer component, the igniter composition additionally includes a gas-producing fuel component.

Gas forming igniter composition for a gas generant

Gas generant compositions, such as may be suited for use in inflating automotive inflatable restraint airbag cushions, are provided. Such gas generant compositions generally contain a mixture of guanidine nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and a transition metal ammine nitrate, such as copper diammine dinitrate and preferably also contain one or more ballistic additives.

High gas yield generant compositions

Chemical coolant formulations for treating the hot gas formed by an airbag inflator and corresponding methods of inflating an airbag cushion are provided. The chemical coolant formulations include a first ingredient which, when contacted by the hot gas, endothermically decomposes to form a cooling gas and a solid slag component and a second ingredient which, when contacted by the hot gas, forms a liquid slag component. The solid and liquid slag components cooperate to form a unified slag mass.

Treatment of airbag inflation gases

Fire extinguishing or suppression apparatus and method employing a liquid pyrotechnic composition of a ternary mixture of hydroxyl ammonium nitrate, an amine nitrate salt, and water, in a closed combustion chamber of a pressure container. The apparatus is constructed to permit a large volume of water vapor exothermically generated by the reaction of a liquid pyrotechnic composition to be discharged from the combustion chamber and pressure container to an area of a fire.

Liquid pyrotechnic fire extinguishing composition producing a large

Liquid gas generant compositions are aqueous solutions of hydroxylammonium nitrate as the oxidizer and a fuel selected from the group consisting of nitrate salts of amines of the formulae:

Hydroxylammonium nitrate/water/self-deflagrating fuels as gas generating

A gas generant charge comprises a heterogeneous mixture of between about 80 and about 95 wt % of a first gas generant composition 1) and between about 5 and about 20 wt % of a second gas generant composition 2), based on the total weight of 1) plus 2). The first gas generant composition 1) comprises between about 20 and about 40 wt % fuel A) and between about 20 and about 60 wt % oxidizer B). Between about 50 and about 85 wt % of the fuel A) is a triazole or tetrazole compound A.sup.1), and between about 15 and about 50 wt % of the fuel is, a water-soluble fuel A.sup.2). At least about 20 wt % of the oxidizer B), up to 100%, a transition metal oxide B.sup.1); balance of the oxidizer is selected from the group B.sup.2) consisting of alkali and/or alkaline earth metal nitrates, chlorates or perchlorates. The second gas generant composition 2) comprises between about 30 and about 65 wt % of a fuel C) which is an organic compound containing only the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, the oxygen content being between about 35 and about 65 wt % of the organic compound, and an between about 35 and about 70 wt % of an oxidizer D) which is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal chlorates, alkali metal perchlorates, and mixtures thereof. The mixed generant charge produces less undesirable gases than the first gas generant composition alone and less particulate matter than the second gas generant composition alone.

Heterogeneous gas generant charges

Gas generant compositions utilize cupric nitrate complexes of nitrogen-containing compounds as fuels in conjunction with an oxidizer.

Gas generant compositions containing copper nitrate complexes

A gas generant composition contains no hydrogen, using as the major fuel component cupric and/or zinc bitetrazole and as a major oxidizer component CuO and/or Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. A minor fuel component may be a salt of dicyanamide which reduces processing sensitivity of the composition. A minor oxidizer component may be a nitrate, chlorate, or perchlorate salt.

Hydrogen-less, non-azide gas generants

A gas generant composition comprises between about 30 and about 85 wt. % of A) fuel, and between about 15 and about 70 wt % of B) oxidizer based on total weight of A) plus B). At least about 60 wt %, up to 100 wt % of the fuel A) comprises an nitrate salt of a polyamine of the general formula selected from the group consisting of: ##STR1## wherein in formulae (I)-(III) the Zs are the same or different and are selected from H and NH.sub.2, (IV) C.sub.2 -C.sub.3 -alkyl diamine, and mixtures thereof. At least about 60 wt %, up to 100 wt % of the oxidizer B) comprises basic copper(II) nitrate, i.e. Cu(NO.sub.3).sub.2.3Cu(OH).sub.2 and/or cobalt(III)triammine trinitrate, i.e., Co(NH.sub.3).sub.3.(NO.sub.3).sub.3.

Growing community of inventors

Brigham City, UT, United States of America

Michael W Barnes