Hybrid Composites Based on Al/CuO Nanothermites and Tetraamminecopper Perchlorate for High-Performance Energetic Materials

Nanothermites have high energy densities and fast reaction speeds, but their applications are restrained by their relatively low gas generation capacity owing to the lack of gaseous products. By contrast, nitrogen-rich explosives can release substantial small-molecule gases upon intramolecular decomposition. Recently, the integration of nanothermites with nitrogen-rich explosives has attracted growing interest to attain improved reactive performances. In this work, hybrid energetic composites composed of Al/CuO nanothermites and tetraamminecopper perchlorate (TACP) were prepared. The reaction behaviors of pure TACP and a series of Al/CuO/TACP composites were systematically investigated. During the dynamic heating in thermogravimetry coupled with differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), the total heat release of Al/CuO/TACP composites was basically the linear combination of Al/CuO (2.23 kJ/g) and TACP (1.44 kJ/g) based on their mass contents. However, the addition of n-Al and n-CuO could lower the decomposition temperature of TACP by 20 °C, and the chlorides produced from TACP decomposition were found to promote the oxidation of n-Al. Compared with sole Al/CuO and sole TACP, the hybrid composites with TACP content of 10–25% showed considerably strengthened blast performances and significantly enhanced gas generation capacities. The maximum pressure and pressurization rate of Al/CuO/TACP_25% (1.67 MPa, 199.3 MPa/s) far exceed those of Al/CuO (1.01 MPa, 93.3 MPa/s). Owing to their superior reactivity, Al/CuO/TACP hybrid composites show promising potential as high-performance energetic materials for applications, including green primary explosives and gas generators.