Nitroguanidine based gas generant containing mica

Abstract

Gas generants in an inflator have nitroguanidine as a fuel and mica as a slagging agent. A gas generant with nitroguanidine has many desirable properties such as little hygroscopicity, a high conversion efficiency, and a suitable burn rate. Mica is a beneficial ingredient to the gas generant because it reduces the amount of undesirable gases as well as reduces the amount of solid combustion particles from escaping the inflator

We claim:  
     
         1 . A gas generant comprising: 
 (a) 15-70 wt. % of nitroguanidine;    (b) 20-80 wt. % of an oxidizer selected from transition metal oxides; alkali metal nitrates, chlorates and perchlorates; alkaline earth metal nitrates, chlorates and perchlorates; and mixtures thereof; and    (c) greater than 5 and less than 25 wt. % mica.    
     
     
         2 . The gas generant of  claim 1  further comprising greater than 0 to about 3 wt. % of a burn rate catalyst wherein the burn rate catalyst is a chemical selected from the group consisting of copper 11 oxide, metal silicon, or metal aluminum.  
     
     
         3 . The gas generant of  claim 2  wherein the preferred burn rate catalyst is copper II oxide and the preferred amount is 1 wt. %.  
     
     
         4 . The gas generant of  claim 1  wherein the preferred wt. % for nitroguanidine is 50.  
     
     
         5 . The gas generant of  claim 1  wherein the preferred oxidizer is a mixture of potassium nitrate and strontium nitrate.  
     
     
         6 . The gas generant of  claim 5  wherein the preferred wt. % for potassium nitrate is 6 and the preferred wt. % for strontium nitrate is 35.  
     
     
         7 . The gas generant of  claim 1  wherein the preferred wt. % for mica is 8.