Fully-Dense High Performance Nanocomposite Thermite Powders

This program will develop a low-cost technique for manufacturing nanocomposite thermite powders with performance matching or exceeding that of the currently available superthermites prepared using ultrasonication of nano metal and nano metal oxide powders. The technique to be developed will eliminate the need in starting nanopowders, which are relatively expensive, difficult to handle, and present an inherent problem of reduced active metal content. The technique to be developed in the project will utilize mechanical milling of commercially available micron-sized powders of aluminum and metal oxides and will further develop a recently proposed approach of Arrested Reactive Milling (ARM). ARM has been shown to offer a scalable process yielding an energetic powder that can be very inexpensive. However, ARM-produced powders have never been directly compared to conventional nano-energetic compositions prepared by ultrasonic mixing of starting nanopowders. In this Phase I program, comparisons of ARM produced and ultrasonicated powders with the same compositions will be made. Constant volume explosions will be used as one of the comparison tools. Sensitivities and other characteristics of different superthermite systems will also be assessed experimentally.