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Preparation and Reactivity of Gasless Nanostructured Energetic Materials
Published on: April 2, 2015
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Reactive Ni/Al Nanocomposites: Structural Characteristics and Activation Energy
Christopher E Shuck1, Alexander S Mukasyan1,2
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame , Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. A
|January 19, 2017
Summary
Mechanical processing controls reaction kinetics in nickel/aluminum reactive nanocomposites (RNCs). Milling time influences nanostructure and effective activation energy, enabling tunable energetic material performance.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Reactive nanocomposites (RNCs) are advanced energetic materials.
- Controlling their nanostructure is key to tuning reaction kinetics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between nanostructure and reaction kinetics in Ni/Al RNCs.
- To demonstrate control over reaction kinetics via mechanical processing.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of Ni/Al RNCs using high-energy ball milling for varied durations.
- Quantitative analysis of internal nanostructures using serial focused ion beam sectioning and 3D reconstruction.
- Analysis of reaction kinetics via the electrothermal explosion technique.
Main Results:
- Milling time directly influenced the internal nanostructure and surface area contact of Ni/Al RNCs.
- Effective activation energy (Eef) ranged from 79 to 137 kJ/mol.
- A direct correlation was observed between reactant surface area contact and Eef.
Conclusions:
- Mechanical processing, specifically ball milling, offers precise control over the reaction kinetics of Ni/Al RNCs.
- The nanostructure achieved through milling dictates the energetic performance.
- Understanding the mechanistic effects of activation energies allows for tailored material design.
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