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Posted

In some pyro comps & rocket fuels.

I have seen mention of a small percentage of red iron oxide catalyst.

 

Can anyone explain to this relative newbie, what's the purpose of that?

Posted

Are you familiar with what a catalyst is?

 

Some (all?) reactions require a certain input of energy to get them started. You apply energy (in the form of heat) to certain mixtures and they start to react (possibly producing energy themselves). A catalyst allows for an alternative reaction pathway, so instead of A reacting directly with B to produce AB (which might require a large input of energy to get started), A reacts with C to form AC, and AC then reacts with B to produce AB and C (catalysts aren't consumed). If the A+C->AC and AC+B->AB+C reactions require less energy than the A+B->AB reaction then C can be used as a catalyst to reduce the activation energy of the reaction.

Posted

Are you familiar with what a catalyst is?

 

Some (all?) reactions require a certain input of energy to get them started. You apply energy (in the form of heat) to certain mixtures and they start to react (possibly producing energy themselves). A catalyst allows for an alternative reaction pathway, so instead of A reacting directly with B to produce AB (which might require a large input of energy to get started), A reacts with C to form AC, and AC then reacts with B to produce AB and C (catalysts aren't consumed). If the A+C->AC and AC+B->AB+C reactions require less energy than the A+B->AB reaction then C can be used as a catalyst to reduce the activation energy of the reaction.

 

(Pssst! It makes more power)

 

-dag

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