Novel (MnO2/Al) thermite colloid: an opportunity for energetic systems with enhanced performance

The current study highlights a sustainable fabrication of nanoscopic thermite (MnO2/Al) system, composed of MnO2 nanoparticles with an average particle size of about 20.8 nm prepared by a hydrothermal processing technique. In addition, it contains aluminium particles having a combustion heat of 32,000 J/g, which is very attractive for advanced energetic systems. Plate-like aluminium nanoparticles with an average particle size of 100 nm were developed by wet milling. Our results revealed aluminium optimum solid loading in tri-nitrotoulene (TNT), which was found to be 8.0 wt%. At this optimum solid loading level, aluminium nanoparticles increased the destructive effect of TNT by 25.0%. While, stoichiometric colloidal mixture of both MnO2 and Al nanoparticles exhibited a 65.0% increase in the destructive effect of TNT. Our work presents an intimate mixing between nano-thermite particles, where particle size and inter-particles’ distance are at the nanoscale. To sum up, TNT detonation wave was supported with one of the most potent thermite reactions occurring with maximum rate. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.