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C-Stoff

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German rocket fuel
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C-Stoff ([t͡seː ʃtɔf]; "substance C") was a reductant used in bipropellant rocket fuels (as a fuel itself) developed by Hellmuth Walter Kommanditgesellschaft in Germany during World War II. It was developed for use with T-Stoff (a high-test peroxide) as an oxidizer, which together with C-Stoff as the fuel, forms a hypergolic mixture.

Methanol CH3OH ~57% by weight
Hydrazine hydrate N2H4 · H2O ~30% by weight
Water H2O ~13% by weight
Catalyst 431 K3 potassium tetracyanocuprate(I)

The proportions of the components in C-Stoff were developed to catalyse the decomposition of T-Stoff, promote combustion with the oxygen released by the decomposition, and sustain uniform combustion through sufficient quantity of the highly reactive hydrazine. The combination of the C-Stoff, used as a rocket fuel, with the T-Stoff used as the oxidizer, often resulted in spontaneous explosion from their combined nature as a hypergolic fuel combination, necessitating strict hygiene in fueling operations; there were numerous catastrophic explosions of the Messerschmitt Me 163 aircraft that employed this fuel system. Another hazard was toxicity to humans of each of the propellants.

C-fuel

After the war, Allied studies into rocket propellants continued with engines such as the Armstrong Siddeley Beta, under the name "C-fuel".

See also

References

  1. Stüwe, Botho (1998). Peene Münde West: die Erprobungsstelle der Luftwaffe für geheime Fernlenkwaffen und deren Entwicklungsgeschichte (in German). Munich: Bechtermünz im Weltbild Verlag. p. 220. ISBN 3-8289-0294-4.
  2. "United Kingdom Aerospace and Weapons Projects: Rocket Engines". Skomer. Archived from the original on 2008-04-22.
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