Pyrolant

Pyrolant is a made-up word containing the Greek word pyros (= fire) to describe energetic materials that generate hot flames upon combustion. Pyrolants are metal-based pyrotechnic compositions containing virtually any oxidizer.The term pyrolant has been originally coined by Kuwahara in 1992 [ [ T. Kuwahara, T. Ochiachi, Burning Rate of Mg/TF Pyrolants, "Proceedings of the 18th Int. Pyrotechnics Seminar", 1992, p. 539. ] ] , in a paper on Magnesium/Teflon/Viton, to distinguish between compositions that serve as propellants and those yielding hot flames which not necessarily are suitable for propellant purposes.

A similar common expression is propellant which describes either a homogeneous or composite material that generates thrust upon combustion.

Metal-based pyrotechnic compositions, that is to say pyrolants, are generally characterized by high combustion temperatures (< 2000 K) and high amounts of condensed reaction products at equilibrium conditions such as metal oxides, fluorides and soot.Typical pyrolants find use as pyrotechnic initiators (Zr/BaCrO₄) [ [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/107630230/ABSTRACT] T. Kuwahara, T. Kohno, C. H. Wang, Static Electric Sensitivity Characteristics of Zr/$BaCrO\_mathrm\{4\}$, Pyrolants, "Prop., Explos., Pyrotech. 29" 2004, 56. ] or Zr/KClO₄, illuminating flare (Mg/NaNO₃) [ [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V2B-497SFT6-RS&_user=10&_handle=C-WA-A-BD-BD-MsSWYVW-UUW-U-U-BD-U-U-AADUUDCCDA-AAZDZCZBDA-AYWWUVDWU-BD-U&_fmt=summary&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F1983&_rdoc=13&_orig=browse&_srch=%23toc%235698%231983%23999489999%23445194!&_cdi=5698&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=33b12e7652e2cc50dd01faf32e7683af] J. R. Ward, L. J. Decker, A. W. Barrows, Burning Rates of Pressed Strands of a Stoichiometric Magnesium-Sodium Nitrate Mix, "Combust. Flame 51" 1983, 121.] and decoy flare compositions (Mg/(C₂F₄)_n) [ [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/110531872/ABSTRACT] E.-C. Koch Metal/Fluorocarbon Pyrolants: VI. Combustion Behaviour and Radiation Properties of Magnesium/Poly(Carbon Monofluoride) Pyrolant, Prop"., Explos., Pyrotech. 30" 2005 209. ]

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