Other Organic Fuels
The number of possible organic fuels is enormous. Considerations in selecting a candidate are:
1. Extent of oxidation: This will be a primary factor in the heat output /gram of the fuel.
2. Melting point: A low melting point can aid in ignitibility and reactivity; too low a melting point can cause production and storage problems. 100°C might be a good minimum value.
3. Boiling point: If the fuel is quite volatile, the storage life of the mixture will be brief unless precautions are taken in packaging to prevent loss of the material.
4. Chemical stability: An ideal fuel should be available commercially in a high state of purity, and should maintain that high purity during storage. Materials that are easily air-oxidized, such as aldehydes, are poor fuel choices.
5. Solubility: Organic fuels frequently double as binders, and some solubility in water, acetone, or alcohol is required to obtain good binding behavior.
Materials that have been used in pyrotechnic mixtures include nitrocellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, stearic acid, hexamethylenetetramine, kerosene, epoxy resins, and unsaturated polyester resins such as Laminae. The properties of most of these fuels can be found in a handbook prepared by the U.S. Army. Table contains information on a variety of organic compounds that are of interest to the high-energy chemist.
Properties of Some Common Organic Fuels