Ti/CuO Nanothermite-Study of the Combustion Process

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Combustion Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Nanothermites offer high energy density for energetic applications.
• Understanding combustion behavior is crucial for optimizing performance and safety.
• Electrospraying provides a method for controlled synthesis of nanothermite materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the combustion processes of electrosprayed Ti/CuO and Ti/CuO/NC nanothermites.
• To analyze the effects of thermal conditioning, fuel content, and cellulose nitrate (NC) addition on combustion characteristics.
• To elucidate the combustion mechanism and kinetics.

Main Methods:

• Differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetry (DSC/TG) for thermal analysis and kinetic studies.
• Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) for morphology and composition.
• X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy for phase analysis.
• Kissinger and Ozawa methods for calculating activation energy (Ea).

Main Results:

• Combustion initiates between 420-450 °C, influenced by thermal conditioning.
• Increased fuel content lowered Ea, increased reaction heats, and intensified combustion.
• Cellulose nitrate (NC) addition significantly affected sintering but had an ambiguous impact on Ea.
• A multi-step combustion mechanism with unusual fuel-core mass transfer was proposed.

Conclusions:

• The study provides insights into the combustion behavior of Ti/CuO and Ti/CuO/NC nanothermites.
• Fuel content is a key factor in controlling combustion intensity and kinetics.
• The observed unique mass transfer mechanism warrants further investigation for advanced energetic material design.