owned published patent application 2002 0096236 a1 which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference oxidizers useful in the composition of the present invention include the alkaline earth metal nitrates alkaline metal nitrates chlorates perchlorates and oxides the preferred oxidizer system in the present invention is a mixture of potassium nitrate and strontium nitrate another component of the composition in the present invention is a processing aid those skilled in the art understand that depending on the particular oxidizers and fuels utilized certain processing aids may be helpful in removing the gas generants from the pellet punch during pelletizing of the gas generant examples of processing aids are silica and boron nitride but other processing aids may be employed mica is another component added to the gas generant mica is discussed in a co owned patent u s pat no 6 071 364 which is incorporated herein in its entirety mica is a group of minerals in the phyllosilicate subclass and since micas are true phyllosilicates they are composed of sheets of silicate tetrahedrons the minerals in the mica group are characterized are constructed of extremely thin cleavage flakes and characterized by near perfect basal cleavage and a high degree of flexibility elasticity and toughness the various micas although structurally similar vary in.