10th International Symposium Scientific Bases for the Preparation of Heterogeneous Catalysts E.M. Gaigneaux, M. Devillers, S. Hermans, P.

Jacobs, J. Martens and P. Ruiz (Editors) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monolithic catalysts for the decomposition of energetic compounds

Dan Amariei,a Rachid Amrousse,a Yann Batonneau,a Rachid Brahmi,a Charles Kappensteina and Bruno Cartoixab
a

LACCO (Laboratoire de Catalyse en Chimie Organique), UMR CNRS 6503, University of Poitiers, Faculty of Sciences, 40 Avenue de Recteur Pineau, Poitiers 86022, France b CTI (Cramiques Techniques et Industrielles), F-30340 Salindres France.

Abstract
Pellet-based catalysts have been developed more than 60 years ago for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine for propulsion applications. Cellular ceramic supports are now proposed to replace such catalyst support for monopropellant decomposition or bipropellant ignition. Different honeycomb supports have been manufactured by CTI Company and used as catalyst support for lab-scale reactor as well as for full-scale application. The support parameters are the chemical nature (cordierite, mullite, mullitezircone, SiC), the channel shape and density. For fullscale reactors, dedicated apparatus have been developed to control the key parameters during the preparation of the catalysts: quality and homogeneity of the wash-coating layer, impregnation conditions to reach a high loading level of active phase. Keywords: Cellular ceramics, honeycomb monoliths, propulsion, energetic compounds.

1. Introduction
The catalytic decomposition of energetic compounds is used for propulsion application (launcher, satellites and missiles) and gas generator (e.g. rescue systems) [1,2]. The role of the catalyst is to trigger the decomposition or the ignition of the propellant and the resulting hot gases are expelled through a converging-diverging nozzle generating thrust. Figure 1 shows the scheme of a catalytic engine for monopropellant and Figure 2 displays the 5 N engine used on the Pioneer 10 and 11 mission to the outer planets and beyond the solar system (1972-1997). The propellant is hydrazine N2H4 decomposed on Shell 405, an Al2O3-supported iridium catalyst.
catalyst thrust pressurized liquid monopropellant valve nozzle hot gases injector

Figure 1. Scheme of a remotely controlled monopropellant catalytic engine.

The catalytic bed must be able to start the decomposition of the energetic propellant (H2O2, N2H4, N2O) at low temperatures (to avoid preheating of the engine) with a short ignition delay (10 to 20 ms). It must present very good thermal and mechanical properties to resist and survive very severe conditions (frequent thermal and overpressure shocks at high flow rates) for long term use (up to 15 years or more) without performance degradation. The catalyst porosity must be adapted to very high reaction rates with good heat and mass transfer during the transformation into hot gases.