title: Micro- and Nanoscale Energetic Materials as Effective Heat Energy Sources for Enhanced Gas Generators.
abstract: In this study, we systematically investigated the effect of micro- and nanoscale energetic materials in formulations of aluminum microparticles (Al MPs; heat source)/aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs; heat source)/copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs; oxidizer) on the combustion and gas-generating properties of sodium azide microparticles (NaN3 MPs; gas-generating agent) for potential applications in gas generators. The burn rate of the NaN3 MP/CuO NP composite powder was only ∼0.3 m/s. However, the addition of Al MPs and Al NPs to the NaN3 MP/CuO NP matrix caused the rates to reach ∼1.5 and ∼5.3 m/s, respectively. In addition, the N2 gas volume flow rate generated by the ignition of the NaN3 MP/CuO NP composite powder was only ∼0.6 L/s, which was significantly increased to ∼1.4 and ∼3.9 L/s by adding Al MPs and Al NPs, respectively, to the NaN3 MP/CuO NP composite powder. This suggested that the highly reactive Al MPs and NPs, with the assistance of CuO NPs, were effective heat-generating sources enabling the complete thermal decomposition of NaN3 MPs upon ignition. Al NPs were more effective than Al MPs in the gas generators because of the increased reactivity induced by the reduced particle size. Finally, we successfully demonstrated that a homemade airbag with a specific volume of ∼140 mL could be rapidly and fully inflated by the thermal activation of nanoscale energetic material-added gas-generating agents (i.e., NaN3 MP/Al NP/CuO NP composites) within the standard time of ∼50 ms for airbag inflation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nano Fusion Technology, College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University , 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjung-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Beom
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Nano Fusion Technology, College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University , 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjung-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Ju
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Nano Fusion Technology, College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University , 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjung-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Hoon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Nano Fusion Technology, College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University , 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjung-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Powder & Ceramic Division, Korean Institute of Materials and Science , 797 Changwon-daero, Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam 642-731, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Nano Fusion Technology, College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University , 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjung-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.|Department of Nano Energy Engineering, College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjung-gu, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: airbag inflation; aluminothermic reaction; aluminum particles; combustion; gas generator; sodium azide