Energetic metastable Al/CuO/PVDF/RDX microspheres with enhanced combustion performance

Abstract Nanothermites have a promising study in micro propellant due to its faster reaction rate, higher energy-release efficiency, and significantly enhanced combustion performance. However, most thermites prepared by physical mixing are easy to separate during the propellant preparation process, significantly impeding the embodiment of the advantages of thermite. In this study, Al/CuO/PVDF microspheres incorporating high explosive RDX have been successfully assembled by electrospray technology. The thermal and combustion performance of the composite microspheres have significantly improved. They have shorter delay time, burning time, and higher pressure, pressurization rate than the physical mixtures, which are attributed to their uniform structure and the interaction of the components. And based on combustion tests, the combustion performance of microspheres is mainly affected by the content of RDX. These results indicate that the electrospray technology and adding RDX into microspheres are effective methods to prepare nanothermites with enhanced reactivity.