Borohydride Ionic Liquids as Hypergolic Fuels: A Quest for Improved Stability

Hydrazine and its derivatives are used as fuels in rocket propellant systems; however, due to high vapor pressure, toxicity, and carcinogenicity, handling of such compounds is extremely hazardous. Hypergolic ionic liquids have shown great promise to become viable replacements for hydrazines as fuels. Borohydride-containing ionic liquids have now been synthesized using a more efficient synthetic pathway that does not require liquid ammonia and halide precursors. Among the eight new compounds, 1-allyl-3-n-butyl-imidazolium borohydride (1) and 1, 3-diallylimidazolium borohydride (5) exhibit very short ignition-delay times (ID) of 8 and 3ms, respectively. The hydrolytic stability of borohydride compounds has been greatly improved by attaching long-chain alkyl substituents to the imidazole ring. 1,3-Di-(n-octyl)-imidazolium borohydride (3) is a water stable borohydride-containing ionic liquid. 1,3-Di-(n-butyl)-imidazolium borohydride (2) is a unique example of a borohydride liquid crystal. These ionic liquids have some unusual advantages, including negligible vapor pressures, good ignition delay (ID) times, and reduced synthetic and storage costs, thereby showing good application potential as environmentally friendly fuels in bipropellant formulations. In addition, they also have potential applications in the form of reducing agents and hydrogen storage materials.