Alkali metal azide particles
AssigneeNippon Carbide Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMasanori Sasaki, Hiroshi Shibafuchi, Yasushi Imai, Masahiko Yoshida, Takehiko Yoshie
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Abstract
Alkali metal azide particles most of which have a nearly spherical shape and take a spongy structure and whose volume average particle size ratio in the ultrasonic dispersion treatment is desirously 0.4 or less. Since self-decomposition characteristics of the alkali metal azide particles according to this invention are quite mild, they can be simply handled in large amounts and are quite useful as a gas generating agent for an automobile air bag.
Claims18
Alkali metal azide particles comprising particles at least 70% of which have a substantially spherical shape and wherein said alkali metal azide particles have a spongy structure and a volume average particle size ratio of 0.4 or less after an ultrasonic dispersion treatment at 26 KHz for 5 minutes.
A process for producing alkali metal azide particles, having a substantially spherical shape, a spongy structure, and a volume average particle size ratio of 0.4 or less after an ultrasonic dispersion treatment at 26 KHz for 5 minutes which comprises spray-drying an aqueous solution of an alkali metal azide.
A process for producing alkali metal azide particles having a substantially spherical shape, a spongy structure, and a volume average particle size ratio of 0.4 or less after an ultrasonic dispersion treatment at 26 KHz for 5 minutes, said process comprising dissolving an alkali metal azide in an aqueous solvent to form an azide solution and lyophilizing said azide solution.
An air safety bag for automobiles, said bag containing as a gas generating agent alkali metal azide particles having a substantially spherical shape and a spongy structure, and said particles having a volume average particle size ratio of 0.4 or less after an ultrasonic dispersion treatment at 26 KHz for 5 minutes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.