Recent Developments in Catalysts for Space Thrusters Using Green Monopropellants
A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalytic Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 3365
Special Issue Editors
Interests: Dr. Vaghjiani studies and evaluates reaction pathways pertinent to the understanding of numerous rocket propellant decomposition and spacecraft-atmospheric processes. Experimental findings are rationalized using modern quantum chemical and molecular dynamics theories to construct reaction models, which enable one to understand the mechanisms and to extrapolate from the laboratory to the conditions of real world rocket combustion, propulsion, and in-space applications.
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The power plant in most of the reaction control systems (RCS) in satellites use monopropellants. Monopropellants are chemicals that can be easily decomposed when sprayed over a catalytic bed. The exothermic decomposition and expansion of decomposed products through a nozzle provide the required thrust for orbit control or other maneuvers that need precise control. Anhydrous hydrazine has been in use for almost five decades as a reliable and high-performing monopropellant in space thrusters. However, with the realization of its high toxicity and escalating handling costs along with increasing environmental awareness, there has been a surge in the search for newer green propellants which are both environmentally friendly and high-performing. Some of the monopropellants that have gained prominence in recent times are hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN), ammonium dinitramide (ADN), nitrous oxide, and hydrogen peroxide. Volumetric specific impulse and safety associated with these chemicals are impressive and satellites powered by prototypes using these chemicals have been successfully deployed recently. However, typical of any energetic materials, the evolution of a mature technology takes decades, and the development of a catalyst for the propellant decomposition is a critical and most crucial component in thruster development. The catalyst while ensuring a smooth decomposition with the shortest ignition delay should also remain active without any passivation or attrition through the length of the mission. Finding a suitable active metal, high-temperature tolerant support, bed configuration, and other crucial parameters are formidable challenges in the journey to a higher technology readiness level. While the research findings in this domain may remain more or less classified due to the strategic importance, there has been open-ended research both at academic laboratories and space centers focused on thruster development. Realizing the importance of consolidating the findings in this field and sensitize and initialize other catalyst researchers to this vital space technology that can wipe out the use of toxic hydrazine, “catalysts” has decided to bring out a special issue on “Recent development in catalysts for space thrusters using green monopropellants”. The articles can be both original research articles or comprehensive reviews that encompass a particular field. Some of the likely titles can be as follows
- Green propellant overview
- Ionic liquids as propellants
- MP: mission scenario and thruster designs
- MP: decomposition catalyst development
- MP: catalyst decomposition chemistry and kinetics
- MP: catalyst bed configuration and thruster design
- MP: numeric models for catalytic decomposition
- DFT or other quantum mechanical methods for exploring heterogeneous catalysis mechanisms in space thrusters
MP: monopropellant (MP) can be HAN, ADN, HP, nitrous oxide, or any other energetic ionic liquid that can be considered as a green monopropellant
Dr. Ghanshyam L. VaghjianiProf. Dr. Charlie Oommen
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- Green In-Space Propulsion
- Hydroxylammonium Nitrate-based Fuels
- Monopropellant Thrusters
- Hydrazine Alternatives
- monopropellants
- catalyst
- space thrusters
- high-temperature catalyst
- combustion
