Definitions - hdbk10810014

DEFINITIONS

DOE-HDBK-1081-94

Spontaneous Heating and Pyrophoricity

DEFINITIONS

Combustion

- Burning of gas, liquid, or solid in which the fuel is rapidly

oxidized, producing heat and often light

Hypergolic

- Property of a material which describes its ability to

spontaneously ignite or explode upon contact with an oxidizing

agent

Ignition temperature

- Temperature at which an element or compound will catch fire in

air (atmospheric oxygen)

Oxidization

- Removal electrons from an atom or molecule, usually by

chemical reaction with oxygen

Oxidizing agent

- Chemical substance that gives up oxygen easily, removes

hydrogen from another substance, or attracts electrons

Pyrophoricity

- Spontaneous combustion of a material upon exposure to air

(atmospheric oxygen)

Specific area

- Amount of surface area per unit weight of a material, usually

expressed in cm2/g

Spontaneous combustion

- Ignition of a combustible material caused by the accumulation

of heat from oxidation reactions

Spontaneous heating

- Slow oxidation of an element or compound which causes the

bulk temperature of the element/compound to rise without the

addition of an external heat source

Pyrophoricity

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