The proposed work involves application of supported molten salt catalysis to the catalytic endothermic dehydrogenation of high energy-density aviation fuels. The catalysts of interest are heterogeneously dispersed platinum and nickel, to be used alone or in bimetallic clusters. The molten salts to be used include binary and ternary eutectics involving alkali metal chlorides and hydroxides. The supports to be evaluated are silica, alumina, and monoith or honeycomb supports having silica or alumina surfaces. The endothermic fuels to be examined are methylcyclohexand (mch), decahydronaphthalene (dec), and methanoindane (jp-10). The endothermic dehydrogenation - retro-diels-alder coupled reaction of jp-10 will be examined for the pure fuel and for mixtures with mch and dec. The methodology used will permit evaluation of the influence of various systematic and operational parameters on catalytic acticity, rates of competing side reactions, and the rate of catalyst deactivation. The objectives will involve determination of the conditions required for optimal utilization of the chemical heat sinks of thecandidate fuels.
