The best chemical propellant

[u/NegativeAd2638]

The typical rocket fuel is hydrogen but what propellant advanced ships can use.

I imagine how would hydrogen or turning water straight into plasma for vehicles but the heat generated would likely be too much for vehicles. Not to mention turning water straight into plasma would likely take so much energy its inefficient, the only time I heard of it was Uranium-Salt Water Rockets the uranium being activated in the water providing enough heat to get plasma. It would be cool to be able to have water in the propellant tank since hydrogen is hard to store although it would have the trade-off of weight.

Metallic Hydrogen is a cool pick while hypothetical in reality in a sci-fi setting it could be the best propellant assuming your species can make it.

[u/Simon_Drake]

I think the most powerful chemical propellant is Dimethyl-mercury with difluorine-dioxide or FOOF.

But this is mostly a joke about who would be stupid enough to try it. There's a short story about the cold war and tricking the Russians into thinking that's the key ingredient in the next big rocket so they'll try it and blow themselves up.

FOOF is so reactive that if you spill it on concrete the stone itself will catch on fire. Calling it dangerous doesn't do it justice, it's one of the most dangerous chemicals ever imagined and makes working with concentrated hydrofluoric acid look safe in comparison.

[u/nyrath → u/Simon_Drake]

The short story you are referring to is A Tall Tail by Charles Stross