Facile fabrication of cross-linked n-Al/PVDF films with the tunability of reactivity and laser sensitivity

Metastable intermolecular complexes (MICs), which have exceptional energy density and reactivity, have drawn considerable attention in the field of energetic materials. In this work, a facile cryogel method is explored for fabricating n-Al/PVDF energetic films with the controllable tuning of reactivity and laser sensitivity. The microstructure of the films was transformed from dense packing to 3D cross-linking by adjusting the process parameters. With the formation of the porous structure, the energetic film exhibits a higher energy release rate (the flame propagation speed increases from 8.2 cm∙s−1 to 13.5 cm∙s−1) and a lower laser ignition delay (from 33.6 ms to 10.1 ms). The mechanisms underlying the altered reactivity are discussed in depth to provide insights into understanding changes in energy properties. This work provides an effective and facile strategy for realizing the tunability of the reactivity and sensitivity of n-Al/PVDF composites, which will aid to broaden their use in micro-transducers. [Display omitted] •Facile cryogel method for fabricating n-Al/PVDF energetic films.•Effective strategy for realizing the tunability of the reactivity of n-Al/PVDF.•Influence of microstructure on laser-material interface interaction.•Understanding the structure-activity relationship from the perspective of competing reaction pathways.