"Keith W" wrote in message
...

"[snip]
Thats only the fuel or C-stoff which was 57% Methanol, 30% hydrazine
hydrate and 13% water. The killer was the oxidiser, t-stoff which was 80%
concentrated hydrogen peroxide. This compound causes spontaneous
combustion when in contact with almost any fuel, including human flesh.


A note of personal experience. As a young high school student with an
active interest in rockets and pyrotechnics, I fabricated a "cold" rocket
engine inspired by the Walter designs. The motor used 30% Hydrogen peroxide
(strongest stuff my school's chem lab had) and a catalyst composed of
manganese dioxide ( I think, it was pulled out of old non-alkaline D cell
batteries). Didn't make much thrust but it generated a lot of impressive
steam and noise. The peroxide was nasty stuff. Even at 30% concentration,
if you got any on your skin, it would be bleached white instantly and then
begin to slough off.

I can remember urging my physics teacher to try to get some higher
concentration of peroxide to improve the performance. Sometimes I wonder
how I lived through my teens.

Mark