Ammonia spark gap ?

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Original poster: "Luc by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <ludev-at-videotron.ca>

Hi guy,

Time to time I saw post on Poulsen arc, tyratron, quench spark
gap; gap using hydrogen for it's propriety of quenching fast. I
know in the old time they use nitrogen in quench spark gap to
prevented oxidation of the metal surface of the gap ( in reality
they put air but the gap is seal and after a short period of time
the oxygen is all combined with the metal and only nitrogen remain.

They used gap in kerosene or alcohol vapor, city gas, etc. the
goal is to dissociated the gas or vapor to have a substantial
amount of hydrogen present at the gap ( hydrogen transfer heat
really fast and have the characteristic of quenching fast and
conduct fast: ideal for a spark gap ). But these material have a
down side; the sub product is carbon ( and oxygen in the case of
alcohol vapor ) the carbon finish by producing short.

Today I had a flash; why not using ammonia ( NH3 ) when
dissociated may be it only produced nitrogen and hydrogen ? The
advantage of the hydrogen without the disadvantage of the carbon.
I try to find reference about it for an hour on the web without
success, is one of you know something related to that ? Or have
an opinion on this.

Cheers,

Luc Benard