C-Stoff
Encyclopedia
C-Stoff was a reductant
used in bipropellant rocket fuels (as a fuel itself) developed by Hellmuth Walter Kommanditgesellschaft
in Germany
during World War 2
. It was developed for use with T-Stoff
(a high test peroxide
), as an oxidizer, which together with C-Stoff as the fuel, forms a hypergolic mixture
.
The proportions of the components in C-Stoff were developed to catalyse the decomposition of T-Stoff, promote combustion with the oxygen released by the decomposition, and sustain uniform combustion through sufficient quantity of the highly reactive hydrazine. The combination of the C-Stoff, used as a rocket fuel, with the T-Stoff used as the oxidizer, often resulted in spontaneous explosion from their combined nature as a hypergolic fuel
combination, necessitating strict hygiene in fueling operations; there were numerous catastrophic explosions of the Messerschmitt Me 163
aircraft which employed this fuel system. Another hazard was toxicity
to humans of each of the propellants.
, under the name 'C-fuel'.
Redox
Redox reactions describe all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation state changed....
used in bipropellant rocket fuels (as a fuel itself) developed by Hellmuth Walter Kommanditgesellschaft
Hellmuth Walter Kommanditgesellschaft
Hellmuth Walter Kommanditgesellschaft , commonly known as the Walter-Werke, was a German company founded by Professor Hellmuth Walter to pursue his interest in engines using hydrogen peroxide as a fuel....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during World War 2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was developed for use with T-Stoff
T-Stoff
T-Stoff was the oxidizer part of a bipropellant rocket fuel combination used in Germany during World War II. It is a stabilized high test peroxide...
(a high test peroxide
High test peroxide
High-test peroxide or HTP is a high -concentration solution of hydrogen peroxide, with the remainder predominantly made up of water. In contact with a catalyst, it decomposes into a high-temperature mixture of steam and oxygen, with no remaining liquid water...
), as an oxidizer, which together with C-Stoff as the fuel, forms a hypergolic mixture
Hypergolic fuel
A rocket propellant combination used in a rocket engine is called hypergolic when the propellants spontaneously ignite when they come into contact. Strictly speaking it is the combination that is hypergolic, but in less precise usage the individual propellants are also referred to as hypergolic....
.
| Methanol Methanol Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol... |
CH3OH | ~57% by Weight |
| Hydrazine Hydrazine Hydrazine is an inorganic compound with the formula N2H4. It is a colourless flammable liquid with an ammonia-like odor. Hydrazine is highly toxic and dangerously unstable unless handled in solution. Approximately 260,000 tons are manufactured annually... hydrate Hydrate Hydrate is a term used in inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry to indicate that a substance contains water. The chemical state of the water varies widely between hydrates, some of which were so labeled before their chemical structure was understood.... |
N2H4 . H2O | ~30% by Weight |
| Water Water Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a... |
H2O | ~13% by Weight |
| Catalyst 431 | K3[Cu(CN)4] |
The proportions of the components in C-Stoff were developed to catalyse the decomposition of T-Stoff, promote combustion with the oxygen released by the decomposition, and sustain uniform combustion through sufficient quantity of the highly reactive hydrazine. The combination of the C-Stoff, used as a rocket fuel, with the T-Stoff used as the oxidizer, often resulted in spontaneous explosion from their combined nature as a hypergolic fuel
Hypergolic fuel
A rocket propellant combination used in a rocket engine is called hypergolic when the propellants spontaneously ignite when they come into contact. Strictly speaking it is the combination that is hypergolic, but in less precise usage the individual propellants are also referred to as hypergolic....
combination, necessitating strict hygiene in fueling operations; there were numerous catastrophic explosions of the Messerschmitt Me 163
Messerschmitt Me 163
The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, designed by Alexander Lippisch, was a German rocket-powered fighter aircraft. It is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational. Its design was revolutionary, and the Me 163 was capable of performance unrivaled at the time. Messerschmitt...
aircraft which employed this fuel system. Another hazard was toxicity
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
to humans of each of the propellants.
C-fuel
After the war, Allied studies into rocket propellants continued with engines such as the Armstrong Siddeley BetaArmstrong Siddeley Beta
Armstrong Siddeley Beta was an early rocket engine, intended for use in supersonic aircraft.The Miles M.52, the intended British contender for supersonic flight, had been cancelled in 1946 due to uncertainty concerning its turbojet engine's thrust potential and the risks of manned supersonic flight...
, under the name 'C-fuel'.