Effects of corn straw on the performance of rock-breaking incendiary agents

To explore new strategies for utilising waste biomass energy, this study investigated the partial substitution of aluminium powder in traditional rock-breaking incendiary agents with corn straw. Ballistic projection, DTA-TG, TG-FTIR, and infrared thermal imaging were employed to analyse the reaction mechanisms and performance changes of incendiary agents composed of corn straw, aluminium powder, and potassium nitrate. The thermal decomposition process occurred in three stages: The first stage corresponds to the evaporation of moisture absorbed by maize straw (390-570 K). The second weight loss stage can be divided into two parts: the first reflects the slow pyrolysis of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin, with some pyrolysis products forming charcoal (610-780 K); the second mainly involves the pyrolysis of a small amount of KNO₃ to produce NO₂ and O₂ (823-1154 K). The addition of 9% corn straw increased external work capacity by 38%, raised ignition input energy by 174 J/g, reduced the average size of rock fragments by approximately 29%, and decreased the uniformity coefficient by 31%. Theoretical gas production reached 207.58 cm³/g, 2.45 times higher than the original value. These findings indicate that corn straw significantly enhance gas generation, improve rock fragmentation, and contribute to greater safety and efficiency. Overall, incorporating corn straw provides a cost-effective approach to improve rock-breaking performance and promote the reuse of agricultural waste.