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Preparation and Reactivity of Gasless Nanostructured Energetic Materials
Published on: April 2, 2015
Flash ignition and initiation of explosives-nanotubes mixture.
M Riad Manaa1, Alexander R Mitchell, Raul G Garza
1Energetic Materials Center, University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, L-282, Livermore, California 94551, USA. Manaa1@lnl.gov
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|October 6, 2005
Summary
Energetic materials can now be optically initiated using conventional flashbulbs and carbon nanotubes. This breakthrough enables large-surface-area initiation with ordinary light, unlike previous laser-dependent methods.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Optics
Background:
- Optical initiation of energetic materials traditionally requires high-power lasers with specific parameters.
- These laser requirements limit the practical applications of optical initiation in energetic materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate an alternative method for optical initiation of energetic materials using conventional light sources.
- To explore the use of carbon nanotubes for opto-thermal conversion in energetic materials.
Main Methods:
- Energetic materials were brought into lax contact with carbon nanotubes.
- Initiation was achieved using a conventional flashbulb, providing ordinary light intensity (several W/cm2).
- The process was observed to lead to detonation.
Main Results:
- Successful optical ignition and initiation of energetic materials were demonstrated using a flashbulb.
- This method allows for initiation over a large surface area, unlike laser-based techniques.
- The use of carbon nanotubes facilitates opto-thermal activity with low-intensity light.
Conclusions:
- Optical initiation of energetic materials is feasible with conventional flashbulbs and carbon nanotubes.
- This approach overcomes the limitations of laser-based initiation, enabling large-area application.
- Energetic materials incorporating optically active nanotubes offer potential for advanced safety apparatus.
