Role of surface chemistry in the ignition of pyrotechnic materials

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5370438

Moddeman, W E; Collins, L W; Wang, P S; Wittberg, T N

The surface chemistry of fuels has been shown to play a key role in the ignition of pyrotechnic materials. Since these fuels are usually easily oxidized, the surface must provide protection from undesirable oxidation processes such as pyrophoricity while permitting the desirable pyrotechnic reactions. For both titanium and aluminum, these criteria are met by metal oxide coatings which control the accessibility of the fuel to the oxidizer. However, we have shown that the mechanisms through which this control is exerted are substantially different. The ignition of titanium based pyrotechnics seems to be kinetically controlled by the dissolution of the titanium oxide coating to generate a reactive surface for the pyrotechnic reaction. Reactions of aluminum seem to depend on diffusion of aluminum (or oxygen at higher temperatures) through its oxide coating. It was also shown that the accessibility of aluminum can be improved by alloying.

• Research Organization: Mound Facility, Miamisburg, OH (USA); Dayton Univ., OH (USA). Research Inst.
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00053
• OSTI ID: 5370438
• Report Number(s): MLM-2708(OP); CONF-800713-6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400800 -- Combustion
Pyrolysis
& High-Temperature Chemistry
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER OXIDES
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IGNITION
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERCHLORATES
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM PERCHLORATES
PYROTECHNIC DEVICES
REDUCTION
SPECTROSCOPY
THERMITE PROCESS
TITANIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS