Aluminum/HMX nanocomposites: Synthesis, microstructure, and combustion

Aluminum particles with a diameter of ≈50 nm were synthesized by means of the Gen-Miller flow-levitation method with alumina or trimethylsiloxane coatings formed on the surface of these particles. Aluminum/HMX nanocomposites manufactured by suspension atomization drying or dry mechanical mixing were investigated by x-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and local x-ray analysis. The combustion of these mixtures with changing particle size of the components and composition of the coating on the metal particles was studied. It was found that, when the composites produced by atomization drying were stored as loose powder, HMX crystals grew, which increased the burning rate of compressed samples from 19 to 55 mm/s in the pressure range 3–10 MPa, and the pressure exponent varied from 0.34 to 0.84, depending on how the burning rate correlates with the pressure.