Scientific Technical Review

Metal powders have been utilized for a long time in energetic materials to improve some specific performance. In recent years, metal particles in energetic materials have been reduced in size since smaller particles, particularly nano-sized, have highly beneficial qualities. These positive aspects are evident in the reduction of ignition and combustion times, resulting in enhanced combustion in volume-constrained systems, improved heat transmission, and increased total thermal energy release. Aluminum is one of the first metals to be used in form of nanoparticles in energetic formulations, with its concentration ranging from a few percent to up to a third of the total composition. In this paper, the effect of applying nano-scale aluminum on the energetic characteristics of explosives, pyrotechnic mixtures, and rocket propellants is observed. The differences in the energetic potential due to varying sizes of aluminum particles (micrometer and nanometer sizes) are shown. For selected energetic materials, the energetic potential during combustion in an inert atmosphere was determined using the method of isoperibolic calorimetry. The theoretical values of the energetic potential for the selected compositions were determined using the thermo-chemical computer code EXPLO5. Numerical modeling using the software package may anticipate the behavior of energetic materials quickly, cost-effectively, and in an environment-friendly manner. Furthermore, the combustion efficiency of the chosen compositions can be assessed by comparing the theoretical and experimental values.

Key words: nano-sized aluminum, explosives, pyrotechnic mixtures, rocket propellants, energetic potential, calorimetry.

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