Electrospray Formation of Gelled Nano-Aluminum Microspheres with Superior Reactivity

• DOI: 10.1021/am401238t
• Publication Date: 2013-07-22T13:15:59Z
• Authors: Haiyang Wang; Guoqiang Jian; Shi Yan; Jeffery B. DeLisio; Chuan Huang; Michael R. Zachariah
• Keywords: Micrometer

Nanometallic fuels with high combustion enthalpy, such as aluminum, have been proposed a potential fuel replacement for conventional metallic to improve propellant performance in variety of propulsive systems. Nevertheless, nanometallic suffer from the processing challenges polymer formulations increased viscosity and large agglomeration, which hinder their implementation. In this letter, we employ electrospray means create gel within droplet, via rapid, solvent evaporation-induced aggregation aluminum nanoparticles, containing small mass fraction an energetic binder. The gelled microspheres were characterized tested burning behavior by rapid wire heating ignition experiments. show enhanced compared nanoaluminum, possibly benefits nitrocellulose coating microstructure, is far superior corresponding dense micrometer-sized aluminum.