Assessment of Catalysts for Hydrogen-Peroxide-Based Thrusters in a Flow Reactor

Hydrogen peroxide is a candidate propellant for rocket-propulsion applications with the potential to replace highly toxic propellants currently used. Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide yields a high-temperature oxygen-steam mixture, which can be used as monopropellant or as oxidizer in a bipropellant configuration. This work examines different types of cellular ceramic-based catalysts for hydrogen-peroxide decomposition at miniature scale of nominal mass flows of 0.3 g s−1. An exhaustive investigation of different catalysts in a flow reactor configuration similar to a propulsion application is conducted. The test matrix includes honeycomb monoliths with different channel geometries, densities, lengths, different carrier materials, and wash-coating procedures, as well as different types of catalysts such as pellets and foams. Thirty nine catalyst configurations with a total of 121 catalysts have been experimentally investigated based on their transient and stationary performance at design mass-flow levels of 0.3 g s−1.