Nanometals: Synthesis and Application in Energetic Systems

A survey of metal nanopowders or nanometals (mostly produced by electrical explosion of wires) usage in different energetic systems is carried out with the focus on nanometals combustion efficiency. Improved kinetic characteristics of chemically reacting systems (ignition, burning rate enhancement for propellants, explosives, and thermites) are typical for nanoaluminum, nAl. A weak correlation between nAl properties and the slow oxidation parameters was found as the result of a very wide scatter in powder characteristics. The burning rate enhancement was analyzed for nAl-loaded solid propellants. The most promising energetic systems are nAl-loaded solid fuels (HTPB-based, ice-based, etc.) with chemically inert matrices.