Gelled fuels are the very promising propellants for new-generation rocket and ramjet propulsion. Here we report a new type of low-molecular mass organic gellant (Z)

and prepared four kinds of stable gelled fuels based on HD-01

HD-03

RP-3 and QC liquid fuels

with the critical gellant concentration less than 1% (mass). The characterizations show that the gellant can form 3D network structure

via

hydrogen bonding

π-π stacking and van der Waals forces

to fix fuel molecules during the formation of gelled fuels. So

the gelled fuels show high stability

with the remaining gel mass of 0.25% (mass) Z/HD-01 more than 90% even at high centrifugal speed of 7500 r·min

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but the rheological property test shows that all gelled fuels have obvious shear thinning property

which benefits its storage in gelled state while supply in liquid state. The gelation of liquid fuels by gellant Z can increase the volumetric net heat of combustion (for HD-01

it increases from 39.58 MJ·L

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to 40.76 MJ·L

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with 1% (mass) Z)

and liquefied gelled fuels show the comparable ignition delay time with the pristine liquid fuels. So

the gelled fuels made by gellant Z have better stability

shear thinning and combustion performances

which have great potential for the practical application.