Abstract
Among the various non-toxic chemicals being explored as a replacement for hydrazine, hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) appears to be most promising and most extensively explored monopropellant for space thrusters. The paper discusses some of the thermal stability issues related to highly concentrated HAN, ensuing from the route adopted for its preparation. It was observed that discharge of metal ions like barium and calcium ions from the reactants and the by-products into HAN solution during preparation could influence the thermal and catalytic decomposition behavior of HAN which is critical for its use in space thrusters. Influence of traces of nitric acid on the thermal decomposition behavior of HAN was also examined.
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