A new generation of rocket propellants for deep space exploration such as ionic liquid propellants with long endurance and high stability, are attracting significant attention. However, ionic liquid propellants are strongly restricted by their inadequate hypergolic (spontaneous ignition) reactivity between the fuel and the oxidant, where this defect can cause local burnout and accidental explosions during rocket launch. In a new report, Wen-Li Yuan and a research team in Chemistry at the Sichuan University in China and the Idaho University in the U.S. have proposed a visual model to demonstrate features of propellants to estimate their performance and applications. The materials genome and visualization model of the propellants greatly improved the efficiency and quality of developing performance propellants with applications to discover new and advanced functional molecules in the field of energetic materials. The work is now published in Science Advances.
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Source: Phys.org