RESEARCH ON THE COMPATIBILITY OF MATERIALS WITH CHLORINE TRIFLUORIDE PERCHLORYL FLUORIDE AND MIXTURES OF THESE. Third Quarterly Technical Summary Report, May 1, 1960 to July 31, 1960

Technical Report · Mon Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 1960

OSTI ID:4036776

Grigger, J C; Miller, H C

An investigation was made to determine the compatibility of materials with chlorine trifluoride, perchloryl fluoride, and mixtures of these to the limit needed in modern largescale rocketry. All 21-day immersion tests at 30 deg C of unstressed specimens in pure liquid chlorine trifluoride, pure liquid perchloryl fluoride, and a liquid mixture of 25% perchloryl fluoride-75% chlorine trifluoride were completed. All metals exhibited very low corrosion rates in the liquids, generally less than 0.2 mils/yr, with a maximum of 0.4 mils/yr. The fluorinated plastics Kel-F and Teflon showed a moderate weight gain on exposure to the 25% ClO/sub 3/F-75% ClF/sub 3/ liquid mixture just as they did on exposure to the individual liquids. Calcium fluoride-filled Teflon showed only a small weight gain on exposure to the liquids. Polyvinylidene fluoride plastic on exposure to liquid perchloryl fluoride exhibited a weight gain about the same as that of Teflon, and much less than Kel-F. High density carbon and graphite were found to disintegrate to powders on contact with liquid chlorine trifluoride below 25 deg C. Liquid immersion tests at 30 deg C for 21 days of stressed specimens (U-bend) of eight alloys were completed in the liquids. No evidence of stress corrosion was found. In immersion tests in wet perchloryl fluoride (0.2% H/sub 2/O), nickel, monel, aluminum, magnesium, copper, brass, aluminum bronze, and low-carbon steel all suffered a mild to moderate attack in both vapor and liquid. Pitting was observed, especially with monel in the vapor. Stainless steels, 403 and 316, and titanium (which appeared resistant to wet perchloryl fluoride at low moisture levels and in the presence of more easily attacked metals) were corroded to varying degrees when exposed alone to wet perchloryl fluoride containing 1.0% H/sub 2/O. Pitting or localized etch was observed in all cases, particularly in crevices. The liquid-vapor diagram for the ClO/sub 3/ F--ClF/sub 3/ system was determined, and shows a large positive deviation from an ideal solution with respect to perchloryl fluoride. Mixtures of chlorine trifluoride and perchloryl fluoride held in metal containers show the same oxidizer-metal interaction as other strong oxidizers when subjected to a high detonation shock, which is greater for aluminum than for steel, or stainless steel. Other metals such as magnesium may also show this enhancement. Severe mechanical shock on steel shipping cylinders containing mixtures of perchloryl fluoride and chlorine trifluoride failed to initiate any noticeable action between either the gas or the liquid mixture and the steel cylinder. (auth)

• Research Organization: Pennsalt Chemicals Corp., Wyndmoor, Penna.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-017289
• OSTI ID: 4036776
• Report Number(s): AD-244009
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM
CALCIUM FLUORIDES
CARBON
CHLORINE FLUORIDES
COPPER
COPPER ALLOYS
CORROSION
CYLINDERS
DECOMPOSITION
DEFECTS
DENSITY
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMICS
ETCHING
EXPLOSIONS
FAILURES
FLUORIDES
GASES
GRAPHITE
HUMIDITY
IMPACT SHOCK
IMPREGNATION
IMPURITIES
INTERACTIONS
KEL-F
LIQUIDS
MAGNESIUM
METALS
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MIXING
NICKEL
NICKEL ALLOYS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYFLUORIDES
POLYMERS
POWDERS
ROCKETS
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
STRESSES
TEMPERATURE
TESTING
TITANIUM
VAPORS
WATER
WEIGHT
ZINC ALLOYS