Joseph Lefkowitz

Congratulations to Associate Professor Joseph Lefkowitz, Zuckerman Faculty Scholar in the Aerospace Engineering Department at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, on the publication of Hypergolic Hybrid Fuel Combustion Under Peroxide Spray in the January issue of  AIAA/ARC Aerospace Research Central.

Abstract
Hypergolic ignition, driven by rapid exothermic reactions upon fuel–oxidizer contact, offers a promising pathway for hybrid propulsion systems by enabling immediate ignition and re-ignition without the need for external ignition devices. This study investigates hypergolic ignition using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fuel, sodium borohydride (SBH) additive, and rocket-grade hydrogen peroxide (RGHP) as the oxidizer. The HDPE-SBH-RGHP system offers a greener, less toxic alternative to traditional hypergolic propellants, such as nitrogen tetroxide or hydrazine, providing enhanced environmental and operational safety.  This work expands the investigation to examine new aspects, recognizing pressure and gaseous oxygen content as a key condition for ensuring ignition and aiming to understand its influence in detail.