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Atomically precise o-carboranealkynyl-protected clusters Ag14(C4B10H11)12(CH3CN)2·2NO3 (CBA-Ag) and Cu6Ag8(C4B10H11)12ClNO3 (CBA-CuAg) have been found to exhibit hypergolic activity, such that they are capable of spontaneous ignition and combustion upon contact with the white fuming nitric acid oxidizer. In particular, CBA-CuAg has a short ignition delay time of 15 ms, whereas the o-carboranealkynyl ligand is hypergolically inert. Systematic investigation revealed that the metal cluster core catalyzed the hypergolic behavior of inert o-carboranealkynyl ligand, and Cu doping further accelerated combustion catalysis. This work provides a new prospective in the rational design of novel metal cluster-based hypergolic fuels for propellant application.
Wang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.