A Multiscale Study of Energetic Composite Responses

Abstract

In recent years, energetic composites containing metallic fuel and inorganic oxidizer are gaining strong interests due to their outstanding combustion characteristics at nanoscale, such as high energy density, tunable energy release rate, ignition sensitivity and benign explosion products [1-4; among others]. Since simple physical mixing could lead to a nonhomogeneous distribution of fuel and oxidizer nanoparticles, a better fuel and oxidizer assembly is desired for the optimal performance of the nanothermite during the detonation process. Hence, various kinds of nanothermite materials, such as the self-assembled nanothermite comprising CuO nanorods and Al nanoparticles [5, 6], have been produced for the higher chemical reaction rate. On the other hand, the multiscale model-based simulation procedure for the detonation process of these kinds of energetic composites remains at its infant stage, and an integrated analytical, computational and experimental effort is required to better understand the combustion mechanisms of the nanothermite