HIM_30: Design an Evaluation of a Metal-Free Hypergolic Bipropellant Based on Ionic Liquids and Hydrogen Peroxide

In the search for alternative hypergolic propellant combinations, the pairing of hydrogen peroxide as oxidizer with ionic liquids as fuel is gaining attention as a compelling solution. Ionic liquids offer desirable characteristics - including extremely low vapor pressure, high density and customizable cation configurations - that make them ideal candidates for future propulsion technologies. The fuel blend HIM_30, composed of two ionic liquids, achieves rapid hypergolic ignition with high-test peroxide, without relying on transition metal or hydride-based additives. This study presents a detailed analysis of this novel green propellant combination, along with the first results from hot-firing tests.