T-fabric

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T-Stoff is an abbreviation and mostly used as a code name for a chemical mixture or for derivatives . The meaning changed with the period in which the term was used and can therefore only be interpreted in the respective context:

First World War

During the First World War, compounds belonging to the group of xylyl bromides were referred to as "T-substance" , which act as an irritant similar to bromoacetone (at that time also called "B-substance") and were used as eye warfare agents. The name comes from the chemist Hans Tappen, who suggested this use to the Supreme Army Command in November 1914 . "T-grenades" filled with the material were first used on the Eastern Front in January 1915. Since they had no significant effect there and later on the Western Front, this warfare agent was soon replaced by chlorine gas, phosgene and others.

Second World War

During World War II, the designation "T-Stoff" was used for an oxidizer that was used in the Walter HWK 109-509 engine that was used in the Messerschmitt Me 163 and Bachem Ba 349 rocket aircraft .

T-Stoff consisted of a mixture of 80% hydrogen peroxide and small amounts of 8-hydroxyquinoline . Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent that the Wehrmacht also used for the gas generator of the A-4 rocket. Hydrogen peroxide was also used in the gas generator in the first versions of the R-7 launcher and the Redstone . There it was combined with potassium permanganate , which accelerates the inherent decay that is always present. The only launch vehicle that used hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer was the British Black Arrow .

This self-decay is the main problem of highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide. Even in the presence of small traces of nickel , it increases, and the heat that is released accelerates the reaction. Other metals also act as catalysts. Therefore 8-hydroxyquinoline was added as a stabilizer, a substance that also binds traces of metal as a complexing agent.

In the Me 163, T-Stoff was used together with the combustion carrier C-Stoff (a mixture of 57% methanol , 30% hydrazine hydrate and 13% water). The combination was hypergolic and therefore self-ignites on contact. The combustion pressure was 24 atmospheres (about 24,000 hPa). The thrust of the Walter HWK 109-509 engine was adjustable between 5 and 15 kN. The fuel supplies limited the maximum burning time to around 5 minutes.

T-Stoff is very aggressive and eats away many organic materials in a very short time. The pilots boarded the machines in an acid-proof special suit, which, however, was "only psychological in nature".

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Margit Szöllösi-Janze: Fritz Haber, 1868–1934: A biography. CH Beck, 1998, ISBN 978-3-406-43548-5 , p. 323.
  2. ↑ Timo Baumann: Poison gas and saltpeter. Chemical industry, science and the military from 1906 to the first ammunition program in 1914/15. Inaugural dissertation, Philosophical Faculty of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, presented in March 2008, pp. 16, 209, 248. ( PDF ).
  3. ↑ Bernd Leitenberger: Chemical rocket propellants part 2. o.J.
  4. ↑ Bernd Leitenberger: Diamond and Black Arrow. ISBN 978-3-8391-6642-0 , pp. 61-64.
  5. ↑ The great air battles of World War II - planes, successes, defeats. Neuer Kaiser-Verlag, Klagenfurt 1993, ISBN 3-7043-6029-5 , pp. 221-225.