Boron-Rich Composite Thermite Powders with Binary Bi2O3·CuO Oxidizers

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-17-2021

Abstract

Mixed oxide powders of Bi2O3 and CuO were prepared by mechanical milling as well as calcination of mixed nitrates. Arrested reactive milling was used to prepare boron-rich thermite composite powders with a constant equivalence ratio using these mixed oxides as oxidizers. Thermal analysis showed lower reaction onset temperatures for exothermic reactions and a greater energy release for these binary oxidizer energetic composites compared to composites with the same equivalence ratio but using either Bi2O3 or CuO as the oxidizer. The greatest effect was observed for a mixed oxidizer with 25 wt % Bi2O3. Heated filament ignition tests showed that the ignition temperatures for all mixed oxidizer composites are higher than those measured for the composites with individual Bi2O3 but lower than those for the composites with individual CuO serving as oxidizers. A weak trend of increasing ignition temperatures as the CuO content of the binary oxidizer increases is noted. Correlations between thermal analysis and ignition experiments suggest the early oxidation onset as the reaction leads to ignition. Particle burn times as determined by laser-ignited single particle combustion tests are near 400 μs for 1 μm particles, less than for similarly sized pure boron, but with no discernible effect of oxidizer composition.

Identifier

85108427945 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Energy and Fuels

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c01052

e-ISSN

15205029

ISSN

08870624

First Page

10327

Last Page

10338

Issue

12

Volume

35

Grant

N00014-19-1-2048

Fund Ref

Office of Naval Research

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