Ignition and Combustion Behaviors of High Energetic Polyhedral Boron Cluster

Compounds containing [B 10 H 10 ] 2− cluster are promising candidates that can be used as high energetic fuels and burning rate modifiers for propellants. The ignition and combustion behaviors of [N(C 2 H 5 ) 4 ] 2 B 10 H 10 were investigated using a laser ignition system in air. Results show that [N(C 2 H 5 ) 4 ] 2 B 10 H 10 (∼2.0 mm) is ignited with a delay of around 350 ms and threshold ignition energy of 0.7 J at laser ignition power density of 1.14×10 7  W/m 2 . Furthermore, the combustion of [N(C 2 H 5 ) 4 ] 2 B 10 H 10 in air is found to undergo three stages of decomposition, incomplete combustion of the volatile pyrolytic products, and ejection and combustion of the molten dehydrogenated framework, giving massive smoke and a characteristic pyrotechnic flame.