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Colloid Thermite Nanostructure: A Novel High Energy Density Material for Enhanced Explosive Performance

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Abstract

Thermites can offer vigorously-exothermic self sustained reactions. At nanoscale, reaction rate could be enhanced significantly. The most potential oxidizers for nanothermite applications include ferric oxide and copper oxide. Aluminium, with combustion enthalpy of 32,000 J/g, is of concern. Fe2O3 (4.0 nm) and CuO (25.2 nm) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via hydrothermal synthesis. Oxide NPs were re-dispersed in organic solvent with aluminium NPs. The developed stoichiometric colloids were integrated into TNT. Whereas Fe2O3/Al offered an increase in TNT destructive effect by 25%; CuO/Al offered an increase in TNT destructive effect by 35%. The significant impact of CuO/Al mixture could be ascribed to low ignition temperature; the low boiling temperature of resulted Cu metal could contribute to shock wave. Additionally, nanoscopic CuO/Al mixture could offer high oxygen release rate at lower temperature. It can be manifested that the effective thermite reaction propagates at maximum rate was introduced into TNT detonation wave.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Chemical Engineering Department, Military Technical College (MTC), Egyptian Armed Forces, Cairo, Egypt and ZEISS microscope team at Cairo, Egypt for their invaluable support of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Head of Nanotechnology Research Center, School of Chemical Engineering, Military Technical College (MTC), Egyptian Armed Forces, Cairo, Egypt

    Sherif Elbasuney

  2. School of Chemical Engineering, Military Technical College (MTC), Egyptian Armed Forces, Cairo, Egypt

    Gharieb S. El-Sayyad, Shukri Ismael & M. Yehia

  3. Drug Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt

    Gharieb S. El-Sayyad

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  1. Sherif Elbasuney
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Elbasuney, S., El-Sayyad, G.S., Ismael, S. et al. Colloid Thermite Nanostructure: A Novel High Energy Density Material for Enhanced Explosive Performance. J Inorg Organomet Polym 31, 559–565 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10904-020-01687-3

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