Nanoenergetic Composites with Fluoropolymers: Transition from Powders to Structures

Sreekumar Pisharath, Yew Jin Ong, Huey Hoon Hng*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Over the years, nanoenergetic materials have attracted enormous research interest due to their overall better combustion characteristics compared to their micron-sized counterparts. Aluminum, boron, and their respective alloys are the most extensively studied nanoenergetic materials. The majority of the research work related to this topic is confined to the respective powders. However, for practical applications, the powders need to be consolidated into reactive structures. Processing the nanoenergetic materials with polymeric binders to prepare structured composites is a possible route for the conversion of powders to structures. Most of the binders, including the energetic ones, when mixed with nanoenergetic materials even in small quantities, adversely affects the ignitability and combustion performance of the corresponding composites. The passivating effect induced by the polymeric binder is considered unfavorable for ignitability. Fluoropolymers, with their ability to induce pre-ignition reactions with the nascent oxide shell around aluminum and boron, are recognized to sustain the ignitability of the composites. Initial research efforts have been focused on surface functionalizing approaches using fluoropolymers to activate them further for energy release, and to improve the safety and storage properties. With the combined advent of more advanced chemistry and manufacturing techniques, fluoropolymers are recently being investigated as binders to process nanoenergetic materials to reactive structures. This review focuses on the major research developments in this area that have significantly assisted in the transitioning of nanoenergetic powders to structures using fluoropolymers as binders.

Original languageEnglish
Article number6598
JournalMolecules
Volume27
Issue number19
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2022
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Chemistry (miscellaneous)
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Pharmaceutical Science
  • Drug Discovery
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry

Keywords

  • casting
  • fluoropolymers
  • melt extrusion
  • nanoenergetic materials
  • reactive structures

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