nitrogen tetroxide

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a poisonous compound, N 2 O 4 , occurring as a colorless, water-soluble solid or liquid, dissociating into NO 2 : used chiefly as an oxidizer, especially in rocket fuels, as a nitrating agent, and as an intermediate in the manufacture of nitric acid.

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nitrogen tetroxide British  

noun

1. another name for dinitrogen tetroxide

2. a brown liquefied mixture of nitrogen dioxide and dinitrogen tetroxide, used as a nitrating, bleaching, and oxidizing agent

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Example Sentences

Mr. Vollmer said the problem occurred among 24 valves that control the flow of nitrogen tetroxide, a propellant used by Starliner’s thrusters.

From New York Times

Some of the nitrogen tetroxide appears to have permeated through Teflon seals and interacted with moisture on the other side to produce nitric acid, Mr. Vollmer said.

From New York Times

Orange clouds in the video might be toxic hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, which fuel the rocket’s first stage.

From Nature

The elevated levels of nitrogen tetroxide around Crew Dragon reinforce the necessity of keeping the splashdown area clear throughout the recovery process, he added.

From Scientific American

And levels of nitrogen tetroxide, a toxic oxidizer, remained slightly elevated around the capsule for longer than mission team members expected, spurring the recovery team to “purge” the gas before extracting Behnken and Hurley from the spacecraft.

From Scientific American