Since the reaction kinetics of composite energetic materials are typically controlled by the mass transport rates between reactants, one would anticipate new and potentially exceptional performance from energetic nanocomposites. In the field of composite energetic materials, properties such as ingredient distribution, particle size, and morphology, affect both sensitivity and performance.
The synthesis and characterization of iron(III) oxide/organosilicon oxide nanocomposites and their performance as energetic materials will be discussed. The resulting nanoscale distribution of all the ingredients displays energetic properties not seen in its microscale counterparts due to the expected increase of mass transport rates between the reactants. Furthermore, the desired organic functionality is well dispersed throughout the composite material on the nanoscale with the other components, and is therefore subject to the same increased reaction kinetics. These organic additives can cause the generation of gas upon ignition of the materials, therefore resulting in a composite material that can perform pressure/volume work. In addition, due to the large availability of organically functionalized silanes, the silicon oxide phase can be used as a unique way of introducing organic additives into the bulk metal oxide materials. Two of the metal oxides are tungsten trioxide and iron(III) oxide, both of which are of interest in the field of energetic materials. By introducing a fuel metal, such as aluminum, into more » the metal oxide/silicon oxide matrix, energetic materials based on thermite reactions can be fabricated. A novel sol-gel approach has proven successful in preparing metal oxide/silicon oxide nanocomposites in which the metal oxide is the major component. We have developed a new method of making nanostructured energetic materials, specifically explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics, using sol-gel chemistry. In the field of composite energetic materials, properties such as ingredient distribution, particle size, and morphology affect both sensitivity and performance. Due to the versatility of the synthesis method, a large number of compositions and physical properties can be achieved, resulting in energetic nanocomposites that can be fabricated to meet specific safety and environmental considerations. These energetic nanocomposites have the potential for releasing controlled amounts of energy at a controlled rate. The degree of control over the burning rate of these nanocomposites afforded by the compositional variation of a binary oxidizing phase will also be discussed. The unique synthesis methodology, formulations, and performance of these materials will be presented. The resulting nanoscale distribution of all the ingredients displays energetic properties not seen in its micro-scale counterparts due to the expected increase of mass transport more » rates between the reactants. Furthermore, organic additives can also be easily introduced into the nanocomposites for the production of nanostructured gas generators. Due to the versatility of the preparation method, binary oxidizing phases can also be prepared, thus enabling a potential means of controlling the energetic properties of the subsequent nanocomposites. By introducing a fuel metal, such as aluminum, into the nanostructured metal oxide matrix, energetic materials based on thermite reactions can be fabricated. A novel sol-gel approach has proven successful in preparing nanostructured metal oxide materials.