Pressable infrared illuminant compositions

An infrared producing illuminant composition consisting essentially of:

• from about 40% to about 90% by weight alkali metal oxidizer, wherein said alkali metal oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of potassium, cesium, and rubidium oxidizer salts, and mixtures thereof, wherein the amount of potassium oxidizer salt is limited such that the infrared producing illuminant composition has at least 25% by weight cesium oxidizer salt;
• from about 1% to about 35% by weight binder;
• and
• from about 5% to about 40% by weight organic fuel, distinct from the binder, wherein said organic fuel is selected from the group consisting of tetrazoles, triazoles, triazines, imidazoles, oxazole, pyrazole, pyrroline, pyrrolinidene, pyridine, pyrimidine, derivatives thereof substituted with substituent group(s) selected from the group consisting of --NO.sub.2, --NO, --CN, and --NH.sub.2, alkali metal salts thereof, melamine, and mixtures thereof,
• wherein upon burning, the infrared producing illuminant composition produces little or no visible light such that the ratio of infrared radiation to visible radiation is greather than approximately 6.0, and wherein the infrared producing illuminant composition has a burn rate greater than 0.040 inches/second.

An infrared producing illuminant composition formulated from ingredients which consist essentially of:

• from about 40% to about 90% by weight alkali metal oxidizer salt, wherein said alkali metal oxidizer salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium, cesium, and rubidium oxidizer salts, and mixtures thereof, said composition having at least about 25% by weight cesium nitrate;
• from about 1% to about 35% by weight binder which is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polybutylene oxide, polyester, and polyamide;
• at least one combustion rate catalyst which is at least one of boron or silicon, wherein the boron is present in an amount of from about 0% to about 10%, and, silicon is present in an amount of from about 0% to about 25%;
• from about 5% to about 40% by weight organic fuel which is selected from the group consisting of tetrazoles, triazoles, imidazoles, oxazole, melamine, pyrazole, pyrroline, pyrrolinidene, pyridine, and pyrimidine;
• wherein, upon burning, the composition produces little or no visible light such that the ratio of infrared radiation to visible radiation is greater than approximately 3.5, and wherein the infrared producing illuminant composition has a burn rate greater than 0.060 inches/second.

An infrared producing illuminant composiiton pelletized from ingredients which consist essentially of:

• from about 40% to about 90% by weight alkali metal oxidizer salt, wherein said alkali metal oxidizer salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium, cesium, and rubidium oxidizer salts, and mixtures thereof, wherein the infrared producing illuminant composition has at least 25% by weight cesium oxidizer salt;
• a combustion rate catalyst which is a combination of boron and silicon, wherein the boron is in an amount greater than about 0% and up to about 10%, and wherein silicon is present in an amount of greater than about 0% and up to about 25%;
• from about 1% to about 35% by weight of at least one polymeric binder selected from the group, consisting of polyester, polyether, polyamine, and polyamide:
• from about 1% to about 40% by weight of organic fuel which is not hexamine, whereby upon burning, the infrared illuminant composition produces little or no visible light such that the ratio of infrared to visible radiation is greater than approximately 3.5, and wherein the infrared producing illuminant composition has a burn rate greater than 0.060 inches/second.