Hypergolic azide fuels with hydrogen peroxide

1. A hypergolic fuel propulsion system comprising:

a) a fuel composition comprising an azide compound having at least one tertiary nitrogen and at least one azide functional group;

b) a catalyst comprising a transition metal compound; and

c) an oxidizer composition comprising hydrogen peroxide; wherein the transition metal compound is selected from the group consisting of cobalt carboxylates, cobalt naphthenates, manganese carboxylates, and manganese naphthenates.

2. A propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein the azide compound is represented by the structure

wherein L is a linking group and wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently alkyl or substituted alkyl or together form a cyclic group.

3. A propulsion system according to claim 2 wherein L is an alkylene group.

4. A propulsion system according to claim 2 wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently C 1-4 alkyl.

5. A propulsion system according to claim 2 wherein L is C 2-8 alkylene and R 1 and R 2 are methyl.

6. A propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein the oxidizer comprises aqueous hydrogen peroxide comprising at least 85% by weight H 2 O 2 .

7. A propulsion system according to claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises a cobalt organometallic compound.

8. A propulsion system according to claim 7 wherein the catalyst comprises a carboxylic acid salt.

9. A propulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition further comprises a hydrocarbon fuel at up to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the azide compound and the hydrocarbon fuel.

10. A hypergolic fuel composition comprising:

a) a fuel composition comprising 2-(dimethylamino)ethylazide; and

b) a catalyst comprising a transition metal organometallic compound;

c) an oxidizer composition comprising hydrogen peroxide; and wherein the

organometallic compound is selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid salts and naphthenates.

11. A composition according to claim 10 , wherein the catalyst comprises a cobalt compound.

12. A composition according to claim 10 , wherein the oxidizer contains up to 15% by weight water based on the total weight of hydrogen peroxide and water.

13. A composition according to claim 10 , wherein the fuel composition further comprises a hydrocarbon fuel at up to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the 2-(dimethylamino)ethylazide and hydrocarbon fuel.

14. A method for propelling a vehicle by burning fuel in an engine, comprising the steps of:

providing a fuel composition comprising:

an azide compound having a tertiary nitrogen and azide functionality; and

a catalyst comprising a transition metal organometallic compound wherein said transition metal is selected from the group consisting of cobalt carboxylates, cobalt naphthenates, maganese carboxylates, and manganese naphthenates;

providing an oxidizer composition comprising hydrogen peroxide; and

contacting the fuel composition with the oxidizer composition in the engine to provide a fuel mixture that spontaneously ignites.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein the fuel composition further comprises a hydrocarbon fuel at up to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the azide compound and the hydrocarbon fuel.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein the catalyst comprises up to 15% by weight water.

17. A method according to claim 14 , wherein the azide compound comprises 2-(dimethylamino)ethylazide and the catalyst comprises an organometallic compound based on a transition metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and manganese.