What does airbag, used for safety of car driver, contain?

Automobile airbags are safety devices that rely on a rapid chemical reaction to inflate during a collision. The primary chemical used in these inflators is sodium azide (NaN3) [t3][t5]. When a vehicle's sensors detect a significant impact, they trigger an igniter that causes the solid sodium azide to undergo rapid thermal decomposition [t2][t6]. This reaction produces sodium metal and a large volume of nitrogen gas (N2), which inflates the airbag in approximately 10 to 30 milliseconds to provide a protective cushion for the driver [t2][t3]. While sodium azide was the standard propellant for decades, it is highly toxic, leading some manufacturers to explore alternatives like ammonium nitrate in later years [t2][t8]. However, sodium azide remains the classic and most recognized chemical component associated with the fundamental operation of car airbag systems [t7][t10].

Sources

1. [1] http://www.osha.gov/publications/hib19900830
2. [2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0957582019308742