Surface-Coated Nano-Sized Aluminum Powder's Applications in Explosives and Propellants: A Review

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Energetic Materials

Background:

• Aluminum powder is a key fuel in explosives and propellants due to its high energy density.
• Nanometer aluminum powder (nAl) offers superior reactivity over micron aluminum powder (μAl) but suffers from oxidation and preparation challenges.
• Surface coating is crucial for overcoming nAl's limitations and enhancing its application efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the effects of surface coating on nanometer aluminum powder (nAl) characteristics.
• To evaluate how surface coating impacts the energy and safety of explosives and propellants.
• To provide insights into improving nAl's application in energetic materials.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on surface coating techniques for nAl.
• Analysis of nAl characteristics before and after surface modification.
• Evaluation of the performance of explosives and propellants containing coated nAl.

Main Results:

• Surface coating improves nAl compatibility with energetic materials, reduces hygroscopicity, and mitigates oxidation.
• Coated nAl enhances the energy performance of explosives and the burning rate of propellants.
• Surface modification reduces mechanical sensitivity and agglomeration of combustion products, improving propulsion efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Surface coating is an effective strategy to enhance the properties and application of nanometer aluminum powder in explosives and propellants.
• Coated nAl offers improved energy output, combustion characteristics, and safety profiles.
• This approach provides a valuable reference for optimizing nAl-based energetic materials.