Flash ignition of Al nanoparticles: Mechanism and applications

Abstract Aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs), due to their high energy density, are important materials for propulsion systems, material synthesis and hydrogen generation. However, the oxidation mechanism of Al NPs at large heating rate remains inconclusive due to the lack of direct experimental evidence. Here, we studied the oxidation mechanism of Al NPs under large heating rate (on the order of 106 K/s or higher) by a simple flash ignition method, which uses a camera flash to ignite Al NPs. The flash ignition occurs when the Al NPs have suitable diameters and sufficient packing density to cause a temperature rise above their ignition temperatures. Importantly, transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals that the Al NPs are oxidized via the melt-dispersion mechanism, providing the first direct experimental evidence thereof. Finally, flash ignition is also applicable to the ignition of flammable gaseous, liquid and solid materials by the addition of Al NPs in lieu of sparks and hotwire igniters.

[1]  M. Pantoya,et al.  Melt dispersion versus diffusive oxidation mechanism for aluminum nanoparticles: Critical experiments and controlling parameters , 2008 .

[2]  V. Levitas.  Burn time of aluminum nanoparticles: Strong effect of the heating rate and melt-dispersion mechanism , 2009 .

[3]  Rodolfo Cruz-Silva,et al.  Flash reduction and patterning of graphite oxide and its polymer composite. , 2009, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[4]  A. Govorov,et al.  Experimental and theoretical studies of light-to-heat conversion and collective heating effects in metal nanoparticle solutions. , 2009, Nano letters.

[5]  Y. Akimov,et al.  Resonant and nonresonant plasmonic nanoparticle enhancement for thin-film silicon solar cells , 2010, Nanotechnology.

[6]  Andrew M. Berkowitz,et al.  The photo-induced ignition of quiescent ethylene/air mixtures containing suspended carbon nanotubes , 2011 .

[7]  P. Ajayan,et al.  Nanotubes in a flash--ignition and reconstruction. , 2002, Science.

[8]  Richard A. Yetter,et al.  Metal particle combustion and nanotechnology , 2009 .

[9]  S. Son,et al.  MECHANOCHEMICAL MECHANISM FOR FAST REACTION OF METASTABLE INTERMOLECULAR COMPOSITES BASED ON DISPERSION OF LIQUID METAL , 2007 .

[10]  M. Pantoya,et al.  Melt-dispersion mechanism for fast reaction of aluminum particles: Extension for micron scale particles and fluorination , 2008 .

[11]  M. Zachariah,et al.  Understanding the mechanism of aluminium nanoparticle oxidation , 2006 .

[12]  M. Zachariah,et al.  Diffusive vs Explosive Reaction at the Nanoscale , 2010 .

[13]  A. Murphy,et al.  Heat generation by optically and thermally interacting aggregates of gold nanoparticles under illumination , 2009, Nanotechnology.

[14]  A. Majumdar,et al.  Nanoscale thermal transport , 2003, Journal of Applied Physics.

[15]  Ning Wang,et al.  Enhanced photothermal effect in Si nanowires , 2003 .

[16]  S. Gangopadhyay,et al.  Nanoenergetic Composites of CuO Nanorods, Nanowires, and Al‐Nanoparticles , 2008 .

[17]  E. Dreizin,et al.  Metal-based reactive nanomaterials , 2009 .

[18]  S. Son,et al.  Melt dispersion mechanism for fast reaction of nanothermites , 2006 .

[19]  Alexander O. Govorov,et al.  Generating heat with metal nanoparticles , 2007 .

[20]  Mirko Schoenitz,et al.  Ignition of Aluminum Powders Under Different Experimental Conditions , 2005 .

[21]  H. Aslin.  Measurement of Radiant Energy Emitted by Xenon Flashlamps , 1967 .

[22]  James Pond,et al.  Aluminum nanoparticles as substrates for metal-enhanced fluorescence in the ultraviolet for the label-free detection of biomolecules. , 2009, Analytical chemistry.

[23]  M. Manaa,et al.  Flash ignition and initiation of explosives-nanotubes mixture. , 2005, Journal of the American Chemical Society.