Mechanism for the Preignition Reactions in the Hypergolic Interaction of N,N,N’,N’-Tetramethylethylenediamine and Nitric Acid

Abstract

The preignition reactions of the hypergolic interaction between pure N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) fuel and nitric acid (90% HNO3 in water) oxidizer were studied1 through two experiments. The first was a confined interaction experiment coupled with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, and the second was confined rapid thermolysis (CRT) coupled with FTIR and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ToF MS). Analysis of the resulting products shows that the primary preignition reactions in this interaction are the Lewis acid/base reaction between TMEDA and 90% HNO3, forming TMEDA dinitrate (TMEDADN), and the thermal decomposition of the produced TMEDADN.