Abstract: Hypergolic liquid or gel fuel mixtures utilized in bipropellant propulsion systems are disclosed as replacements for fuels containing toxic mono-methylhydrazine. The fuel mixtures include one or more amine azides mixed with one or more tertiary diamine, tri-amine or tetra-amine compounds. The fuel mixtures include N,N,N?,N?-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) mixed with 2-N,N-dimethylaminoethylazide (DMAZ), TMEDA mixed with tris(2-azidoethyl)amine (TAEA), and TMEDA mixed with one or more cyclic amine azides. Each hypergolic fuel mixture provides a reduced ignition delay for combining with an oxidant in fuel propellant systems. The fuel mixtures have advantages in reduced ignition delay times compared to ignition delay times for each unmixed component, providing a synergistic effect which was not predictable from review of each component's composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a composition and method for increasing the amount of cetane in fuel. More specifically, it was discovered that the amount of cetane in fuel can be increased by mixing a fuel additive comprising &bgr;-carotene that was prepared in an inert atmosphere.

Abstract: The subjects of this patent are three amine azide monopropellants, dimethylaminoethylazide (DMAZ), pyrollidinylethylazide (PYAZ) and diethylaminoethylazide (DEAZ). Amine azides decompose on an iridium catalyst at 400° F. and have very low freezing points (<−65° F.). Dimethylaminoethylazide (DMAZ) has been tested and is a suitable replacement for hydrazine in monopropellant thruster applications. An amine azide can be used as a non-carcinogenic alternative for any monopropellant system using hydrazine. An amine azide could be used to replace hydrazine in thrust vector control or reactive control applications for space based applications. An amine azide could be used to replace hydrazine in divert attitude control systems in interceptor missile systems. In a gel fuel formulation the tertiary amine azide gel can have 0.5%-10% gellant. The gellant can be silicon dioxide, clay, carbon or any polymeric gellant.

Abstract: Liquid petroleum products are marked with markers having the formula: ##STR1## where the Ws are selected from O--(C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl) and hydrogen, provided that at least one W is O--(C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl), the Xs and Ys are the same or different and are selected form hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, fused aryl, substituted fused aryl, halogen, nitro, cyano, and alkoxy.