RELATIVE EXPLOSIVE FORCE OF Al/MoO3 NANOCOMPOSITE/POLYMERIC BINDER

We briefly overview the common and most studied nanothermite composites of different formulations. The paper primarily deals with systems whose main representatives are nanothermite composites for pyroautomatic delay and special devices and initiator primers. The problem of the development of gas-free (low-gas), fast-burning pyrotechnic compositions based on nanothermites is considered herein. The experimental part discusses an understudied issue of explosive transformation mechanisms, including the identification of governing chemical reactions. A study on the effect of fluoropolymer F-42L on the relative explosive force of a pyrotechnic composition based on a thermite reaction between nanopowdered aluminum as the fuel and molybdenum oxide as the basic oxidizer is also reported. The fluoropolymer was shown to reduce the explosive force of the nanocomposite, in which case the governing chemical reaction of explosive transformation was found to be the reaction of Al with the fluoropolymer.