PURPOSE: To increase the reaction rate by adjusting the composition of three components comprising a metal azide, copper oxide and an alkali metal perchlorate within a specific range.

CONSTITUTION: A metal azide such as NaN3 is compounded with CuO and an alkali metal perchlorate such as NaClO4. The sum of CuO and the perchlorate is at least stoichiometric amount based on the metal azide. In the above composition, the amount of the alkali metal perchlorate is selected to be 10-15 wt.% based on the sum of the three components and that of CuO is selected to be 42-67 pts. wt. per 100 pts. wt. of the sum of CuO and the alkali metal perchlorate. A three-component composition capable of generating N2 gas in a prescribed high rate of reaction under a pressure as low as about 1-10 kg/cm2 can be produced by this process.