Method of safety initiating combustion of a gas generant composition using autoignition composition

The present invention relates to a low temperature autoignition composition for safely initiating combustion of a main pyrotechnic charge in a gas generator or pyrotechnic device exposed to flame or a high temperature environment. The low temperature autoignition compositions of the invention include a mixture of an oxidizer and a powdered metal, wherein the oxidizer includes silver nitrate or a comelt or mixture comprising silver nitrate and at least one of an alkali metal nitrate, an alkaline earth metal nitrate, a complex salt nitrate, a dried, hydrated nitrate, an alkali metal chlorate, an alkali metal perchlorate, an alkaline earth metal chlorate, an alkaline earth metal perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrite, silver nitrite, a complex salt nitrite, a solid organic nitrate, a solid organic nitrite, or a solid organic amine, and where the metal fuel and oxidizer are present in amounts sufficient to provide an autoignition composition having an autoignition temperature of no more than about 232 DEG C. The present invention also relates to a method for initiating a gas generator or pyrotechnic composition in a gas generator or pyrotechnic device exposed to flame or a high temperature environment. In the method of the invention, the gas generator or pyrotechnic composition is placed in thermal contact with a low temperature autoignition composition of the invention.