Abstract: A process for preparing free-flowing, phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate comprises the following steps. A solution of ammonium nitrate (12), a surfactant (13), a phase stabilizer (26), and an inert liquid (20) is prepared. The solution is atomized to form a stream of droplets. The droplets are freeze-dried to form agglomerates (54) of crystals of phase stabilized ammonium nitrate. The crystals of phase stabilized ammonium nitrate in the agglomerates are coated with a film comprising the surfactant. The agglomerates are disintegrated into separated free-flowing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate in the agglomerates crystals coated with a film comprising the surfactant.

Abstract: A gas generating material (140) for use in a vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) comprises about 5% to about 20% by weight of the gas generating material, of a binder, 0 to about 50%, by weight of the gas generating material, of an energetic fuel, and an amount of oxidizer effective to oxygen balance the gas generating material. More than 50% by weight of the oxidizer is basic copper nitrate. The binder comprises at least about 20% by volume of the gas generating material.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device (14) and a gas generating material (18). The gas generating material (18), when ignited, produces a combustion gas that actuates the vehicle occupant protection device (14). The gas generating material (18) comprises a single-base nitrocellulose composition that includes greater than 2%, by weight of the single-base composition, stabilizer. The stabilizer is a urea of an aromatic amine.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20) and a gas generating material (16) that, when ignited, produces gas to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20). The gas generating material (16) comprises a polyurethane thermoplastic elastomer and an inorganic salt oxidizer. The polyurethane elastomeric material comprises a physically cross-linked linear copolymer of an aromatic diisocyanate and a linear energetic polymer having a hydroxyl functionality of two or less.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device and a gas generating material, which, when ignited, produces gas to actuate the vehicle occupant protection device. The gas generating material comprises a cubane compound having the general formula: wherein R is selected from the group consisting of H and NO2.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprises a container (12) for storing a supply of gas. A gas (26) is stored in the container (12) at an elevated pressure. The gas comprises an oxygen rich oxidizer gas. A gas generating material (84) is stored in the container (12) and is exposed to the oxidizer gas at the elevated pressure. The gas generating material (84) comprises a cellulose based binder blended with an anti-oxidant material. An igniter (52) is provided for igniting the gas generating material (84).

Abstract: An autoignition material includes a plurality of agglomerates. Each agglomerate comprises an oxidizer material particle. A plurality of metal fuel particles are disposed on the oxidizer material particle. The metal fuel particles are present in a weight ratio effective to substantially stoichiometrically balance the oxidizer material particle. The metal fuel particles exothermically react with the oxidizer material particle when the autoignition material is exposed to a temperature of about 80° C. to about 250° C. A thin binder film adheres the metal fuel particles to the oxidizer material particle and maintains the metal fuel particles in intimate contact with the oxidizer particle.

Abstract: A gas generating material (140) for use in a vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) comprises about 5% to about 20% by weight of the gas generating material, of a binder, 0 to about 50%, by weight of the gas generating material, of an energetic fuel, and an amount of oxidizer effective to oxygen balance the gas generating material. More than 50% by weight of the oxidizer is basic copper nitrate. The binder comprises at least about 20% by volume of the gas generating material.

Abstract: An electrically actuatable igniter (24) comprises a pair of electrodes (40) and (42). A heating element (44) is electrically connected between the electrodes (40) and (42). An ignition material (48) is in contact with the heating element (44). The ignition material (48) includes an energetic composition. The energetic composition comprises, by weight of the energetic composition, about 60% to about 90% basic copper nitrate, up to about 20% supplemental oxidizer, about 5% to about 20% charcoal, and up to about 10% supplemental fuel.

Abstract: An apparatus (12) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20) and a gas generating composition (16) which when ignited produces gas to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20). The gas generating composition (16) comprises an oxidizer and a fuel. The oxidizer is an inorganic salt and the fuel is a tetrazine.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device (14) and a gas generating material (18). The gas generating material (18), when ignited, produces a combustion gas that actuates the vehicle occupant protection device (14). At least about 45% by weight of the gas generating material (18) is a mono-propellant selected from the group consisting of 3-nitramino-4-nitrofurazan and hydroxylammonium 3-nitroamino-4-nitrofurazan. 0 to about 48% by weight of the gas generating material (18) is an oxidizer. 0 to about 15% by weight of the gas generating material (18) is a binder.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) comprises a vehicle occupant protection device (14), and an actuator (10) for the vehicle occupant protection device (14). The actuator (10) includes a gas generating material (18) or both a gas generating material (18) and an autoignition material (66). The gas generating material (18), the autoignition material (66), or both the gas generating material (18) and the autoignition material (66) comprise a plasticized cyclodextrin nitrate ester. The plasticized cyclodextrin nitrate ester has an autoignition temperature in the range of about 150° C. to about 180° C. and is resistant to thermal decomposition at a temperature less than 150° C.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device and a gas generating material, which, when ignited, produces gas to actuate the vehicle occupant protection device.

Abstract: An electrically actuatable igniter (24) comprises a pair of electrodes (40) and (42). A heating element (44) is electrically connected between the electrodes (40) and (42). An ignition material (48) is in contact with the heating element (44). The ignition material (48) includes an energetic composition. The energetic composition comprises, by weight of the energetic composition, about 60% to about 90% basic copper nitrate, up to about 20% supplemental oxidizer, about 5% to about 20% charcoal, and up to about 10% supplemental fuel.

Abstract: A process for preparing free-flowing, phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate comprises the following steps. A solution of ammonium nitrate (12), a surfactant (13), a phase stabilizer (26), and an inert liquid (20) is prepared. The solution is atomized to form a stream of droplets. The droplets are freeze-dried to form agglomerates (54) of crystals of phase stabilized ammonium nitrate. The crystals of phase stabilized ammonium nitrate in the agglomerates are coated with a film comprising the surfactant. The agglomerates are disintegrated into separated free-flowing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate in the agglomerates crystals coated with a film comprising the surfactant.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device (14) and a gas generating material (18). The gas generating material (18), when ignited, produces a combustion gas that actuates the vehicle occupant protection device (14). The gas generating material (18) comprises a single-base nitrocellulose composition that includes greater than 2%, by weight of the single-base composition, stabilizer. The stabilizer is a urea of an aromatic amine.

Abstract: A gas generating material (16) comprises a polymeric amine. The polymeric amine has a polymer backbone that includes units of wherein R is a nitrogen containing organic radical of a nitrogen containing organic fuel that includes a primary amino group.

Abstract: A process for preparing a gas generating composition (62) for a vehicle occupant protection apparatus (110) comprises the following steps. Desired quantities of ingredients of the gas generating composition (62) measured in predetermined amounts according to the percentage of the ingredients in the gas generating composition (62) are obtained. The ingredients include an elastomeric binder (16), an oxidizer (12), and a fuel (14). The ingredients are mixed with an azeotrope (28) to form a suspension. The suspension is atomized to form a stream (48) of spheroid droplets. The spheroid droplets are contacted with a hot gas to remove the azeotrope (28) from the spray droplets and produce solid spheroid particles of the gas generating composition (62) in which the oxidizer and fuel particles are intimately mixed with each other and bound together by the elastomeric binder.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20) and a gas generating composition (16). The gas generating composition (16), when ignited, produces gas to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20). The gas generating composition (16) comprises phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) and an organic fuel. The organic fuel comprises nitroguanidine (NQ) and a supplemental, non-salt fuel selected from the group consisting of 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (NTO) and cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX).

Abstract: An inflator (14) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) comprises a pressurized container (20), a gas generating material stored under pressure in the container (20), and an igniter (36) for igniting the gas generating material in the container. The gas generating material comprises an oxidizer and a fuel. At least a major portion of the oxidizer is nitrous oxide in a liquid-gas state. At least a major portion of the fuel is polyvinyl alcohol in a porous, molded solid state (64). A portion of the liquid nitrous oxide is absorbed into the pores of the molded polyvinyl alcohol (64). The gas generating material upon combustion produces a combustion product consisting essentially of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water.