Gas generating composition

Abstract

Disclosed is a heat-treated oxidizing agent for gas generating compositions which is obtained by mixing ammonium nitrate with an inorganic compound having as an element one or two or more metal atoms selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, Co, Mn and Ti and subjecting the mixture to heat treatment, and a gas generating composition containing the same. This invention provides a gas generating composition comprising ammonium nitrate, which can be safely produced, does not change in density with phase transition, and has sufficient combustibility.

1 . (Amended) A heat-treated oxidizing agent for gas generating compositions which is obtained by mixing ammonium nitrate with an inorganic compound having as an element one or two or more metal atoms selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, Co, Mn and Ti and heat-treating the mixture at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C.  
     
     
         2 . The heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in  claim 1 , characterized in that the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature of not higher than the melting point of ammonium nitrate.  
     
     
         3 . (Amended) The heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the heat treatment is carried out for 5 hours or more.  
     
     
         4 . The heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterized in that 50% average particle diameter of ammonium nitrate and the inorganic compound is 100 μm or less.  
     
     
         5 . The heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the inorganic compound is at least one member selected from the group consisting of carbonates, nitrates, sulfates, hydroxides, oxides and basic carbonates and basic nitrates.  
     
     
         6 . The heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the inorganic compound is basic copper nitrate.  
     
     
         7 . The heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the mixing ratio of ammonium nitrate to the inorganic compound is as follows: 
 (a) ammonium nitrate 30 to 95% by weight; and  
 (b) inorganic compound 5 to 70% by weight.  
 
     
     
         8 . The heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the inorganic compound is basic copper nitrate, and the mixing ratio of ammonium nitrate to basic copper nitrate is as follows: 
 (a) ammonium nitrate 40 to 95% by weight; and  
 (b) basic copper nitrate 5 to 60% by weight.  
 
     
     
         9 . The heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , characterized in that 50% or less of the stoichiometric amount of the inorganic compound necessary for forming a complex with ammonium nitrate is used.  
     
     
         10 . A gas generating composition comprising a nitrogen-containing organic compound fuel and an oxidizing agent, characterized in that a part or the whole of the oxidizing agent is the heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  9 .  
     
     
         11 . The gas generating composition as defined in  claim 10 , characterized in that when combined with ammonium nitrate, the nitrogen-containing organic compound fuel is molten at a lower temperature than the melting point of ammonium nitrate and the melting point of the fuel.  
     
     
         12 . The gas generating composition as defined in  claim 10  or  11 , characterized in that the nitrogen-containing organic compound fuel is one or two or more members selected from the group consisting of tetrazoles and guanidine derivatives.  
     
     
         13 . The gas generating composition as defined in  claim 10  or  11 , wherein the nitrogen-containing organic compound fuel is one or two or more members selected from the group consisting of 5-aminotetrazole, metal aminotetrazolate, bitetrazole, metal bitetrazolate, ammonium bitetrazolate, nitroguanidine, guanidine nitrate, triaminoguanidine and dicyandiamide.  
     
     
         14 . The gas generating composition as defined in  claim 10  or  11 , characterized in that the nitrogen-containing organic compound fuel comprises 5-aminotetrazole.  
     
     
         15 . (Amended) A gas generating composition characterized by comprising at least the following components: 
 (a) 5-aminotetrazole;    (b) ammonium nitrate; and    (c) basic copper nitrate,    wherein the above-mentioned (b) and (c) are heat-treated at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C.    
     
     
         16 . (Amended) A gas generating composition characterized by comprising at least the following components: 
 (a) 5-aminotetrazole;    (b) ammonium nitrate; and    (c) basic copper nitrate,    wherein the above-mentioned (b) and (c) are heat-treated at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C. and further secondarily heat-treated together with (a) and water.    
     
     
         17 . (Amended) A gas generating composition characterized by comprising at least the following components on a weight basis: 
 (a) 5-aminotetrazole 10 to 40% by weight;    (b) ammonium nitrate 30 to 70% by weight; and    (c) basic copper nitrate 5 to 40% by weight    wherein the above-mentioned (b) and (c) are heat-treated at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C.    
     
     
         18 . (Amended) A gas generating composition characterized by comprising at least the following components on a weight basis: 
 (a) 5-aminotetrazole 10 to 40% by weight;    (b) ammonium nitrate 30 to 70% by weight; and    (c) basic copper nitrate 5 to 40% by weight,    wherein the above-mentioned (b) and (c) are heat-treated at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C. and further secondarily heat-treated together with water in an amount of 1 to 20% by weight relative to the total amount of the components (a), (b) and (c).    
     
     
         19 . The gas generating composition as defined in  claim 16  or  18 , characterized in that the secondary heat treatment is carried out at temperatures of 90° C. to 120° C. for 10 hours or more.  
     
     
         20 . (Amended) A gas generating composition characterized by comprising at least the following components: 
 (a) tetrazoles;    (b) ammonium nitrate; and    (c) an inorganic compound comprising Cu as an element,    wherein the above-mentioned (a), (b) and (c) are mixed, water is added thereto, and the mixture is heat-treated at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C.    
     
     
         21 . (Amended) A gas generating composition characterized by comprising at least the following components: 
 (a) 5-aminotetrazole;    (b) ammonium nitrate; and    (c) basic copper nitrate,    wherein the above-mentioned (a), (b) and (c) are mixed, water is added thereto, and the mixture is heat-treated at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C.    
     
     
         22 . (Amended) A gas generating composition characterized by comprising at least the following components on a weight basis: 
 (a) 5-aminotetrazole 10 to 40% by weight;    (b) ammonium nitrate 30 to 70% by weight; and    (c) basic copper nitrate 5 to 40% by weight,    wherein the above-mentioned (a), (b) and (c) are mixed, water is added thereto, and the mixture is heat-treated at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C.    
     
     
         23 . (Amended) A gas generating composition characterized by comprising at least the following components on a weight basis: 
 (a) 5-aminotetrazole 10 to 40% by weight;    (b) ammonium nitrate 30 to 70% by weight; and    (c) basic copper nitrate 5 to 40% by weight,    wherein the above-mentioned (a), (b) and (c) are mixed, water is added in an amount of 1 to 20% by weight relative to the total amount of the components (a), (b) and (c), and the mixture is heat-treated at temperatures of 120° C. to 160° C.    
     
     
         24 . (Amended) The gas generating composition as defined in any one of  claims 20  to  23 , characterized in that the heat treatment is carried out for 5 hours or more.  
     
     
         25 . The gas generating composition as defined in any one of  claims 10  to  24 , characterized by further comprising one or two or more members selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, talc, clay, alumina, molybdenum trioxide and synthetic hydrotalcite.  
     
     
         26 . The gas generating composition as defined in any one of  claims 10  to  25 , characterized by further comprising one or two or more members selected from the group consisting of a silane compound, guar gum, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and methyl cellulose.  
     
     
         27 . A gas generator for a vehicle passenger-restraining device using the gas generating composition as defined in  claims 10  to  26  or a gas generating composition comprising the heat-treated oxidizing agent as defined in  claims 1  to  9 .