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Enhancing Micrometric Aluminum Reactivity by Mechanical Activation

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Innovative Energetic Materials: Properties, Combustion Performance and Application

Abstract

The pursuit of solid rocket motor and hybrid rocket engine performance enhancements is pushing toward the research of novel energetic materials replacing the conventional micron-sized aluminum. Nanotechnology opened the way to new concepts, introducing very promising ingredients like nano-sized aluminum powders. Their effectiveness in increasing energetic system performance has been already proven at lab-scale level. However, the high cost, the dispersion difficulties, and the increased handling risk hinder a widespread application of nanomaterials. On the other hand, activation techniques offer the possibility of micron-sized additives reactivity enhancement while maintaining high safety levels and reduced costs. This work deals with the design, the production, and the characterization of mechanically activated ingredients for solid propellants and hybrid rocket fuels. General guidelines for the powder processing implementation are critically discussed. Additives are characterized in the pre-burning phase, and their effects on the ballistic response of solid propellants and hybrid fuels are investigated. Activated powders improved hybrid fuel regression rate and reduced the size of the condensed combustion products of solid propellants, confirming their suitability for the micron-sized aluminum replacement.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Politecnico di Milano, 34 via La Masa, 20156, Milan, MI, Italy

    Stefano Dossi, Christian Paravan, Filippo Maggi & Luciano Galfetti

  2. ReActive - Powder Technology S.R.L., 38/a via Durando, 20158, Milan, MI, Italy

    Stefano Dossi

Authors
  1. Stefano Dossi
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  2. Christian Paravan
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  3. Filippo Maggi
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  4. Luciano Galfetti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefano Dossi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Science and Technology on Combustion and Explosion Laboratory, Xi’an Modern Chemistry Research Institute, Xi’an, China

    WeiQiang Pang

  2. Space Propulsion Laboratory (RET), Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy

    Luigi T. DeLuca

  3. Department of Non-Ferrous Metal and Gold, National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia

    Alexander A. Gromov

  4. School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    Adam S. Cumming

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Dossi, S., Paravan, C., Maggi, F., Galfetti, L. (2020). Enhancing Micrometric Aluminum Reactivity by Mechanical Activation. In: Pang, W., DeLuca, L., Gromov, A., Cumming, A. (eds) Innovative Energetic Materials: Properties, Combustion Performance and Application. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4831-4_2

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