A mixture of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate () and hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) is an energetic monopropellant potentially suitable in a multimode chemical-electric microtube-electrospray micropropulsion system. In this work, electrospray plume mass spectra are compared between the monopropellant mixture and neat . This comparison clearly indicates new and additional species present in the plume due to the addition of HAN. Mass spectra from 20 to were obtained over a variety of angles and flow rates from to in both cation and anion extraction modes. Mass spectra dependence on flow rate and angular orientation agree qualitatively well with literature. Results indicate the presence of HAN-based species in anion mode, but no HAN-based species in cation mode. Three of the four monomer species from the monopropellant are apparent in the plume; , , and are observed, whereas is noticeably absent. Results also show emission of both proton-transferred covalent forms of HAN: [HA-H] and . Swapping of anion and cation species between the constituents of the monopropellant mixture is also observed.
Hydroxylammonium Nitrate Species in a Monopropellant Electrospray Plume
Journal of Propulsion and Power ; 35 , 5 ; 922-929
2019-09-01
Conference paper , Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English