Gas generating composition

1. A gas generant composition comprising:

a fuel selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, salts of carboxylic acids, and polymers thereof;

a metal perchlorate salt at about 36-86 weight percent of the total composition; and

an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of a transitional metal oxide, a transitional metal hydroxide, and mixtures thereof,

wherein said gas generant composition contains no nitrogen.

2. The gas generant composition of claim 1 wherein said fuel is selected from the group consisting of 1-potassium salt of DL-tartaric acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, glutamic acid, adipic acid, mucic acid, monopotassium tartrate, carboxymethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate butyrate, and silicone.

3. The gas generant composition of claim 1 wherein said fuel is selected from the group consisting of polymers and carboxylic acids and is provided at about 10-50 weight percent of the total composition.

4. The gas generant composition of claim 1 wherein said metal perchlorate salt is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal perchlorates, and mixtures thereof.

5. The gas generant composition of claim 1 wherein said oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of copper (II) oxide, iron (III) oxide, and copper (II) hydroxide.

6. The gas generant composition of claim 1 further comprising a non-nitrogen processing aid selected from the group consisting of metal silicates, natural minerals, and lubricants.

7. The gas generant composition of claim 6 wherein said non-nitrogen processing aid is selected from the group consisting of silica, fumed silica, alumina, potassium silicates, talcs, clays, micas, graphite, and stearates.

8. An inflator containing the gas generant composition of claim 1 .

9. A vehicle occupant protection system containing the gas generant composition of claim 1 .