Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: Quantum_Vaccuum on 24/09/2007 05:30:16
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I heard somewhere that when you mix liquid O2and liquid Nitrogen, you get a substance that if it is heated enough, it will burn at very high temperatures, like 5000°F. Could that possibly be the same substance used to fuel space shuttles?
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My first thought was that you were way of the mark, but then I vaguely remembered a process. After some search, I could trace it back : the Birkeland-Eyde process (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkeland-Eyde_process) It was used at one time for making fertilizers, but is rather inefficient. It is replaced now by the Ostwald process, using catalysts and running at much lower temperatures.
The rocket fuel you refer to will be liquid hydrogen rather than liquid nitrogen.
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I heard somewhere that when you mix liquid O2and liquid Nitrogen, you get a substance that if it is heated enough, it will burn at very high temperatures, like 5000°F. Could that possibly be the same substance used to fuel space shuttles?
Maybe you referred to hypergolics?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypergolic
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If you mix liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen yuo will get liquid air. Not very exciting.