Comparative investigations of ternary thermite Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO and Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3) from pyrolytic,kinetics and combustion behaviors

To develop new energy enhancement energetic materials with great combustion performance and thermal stability,two kinds of ternary thermite,Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO and Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3),were prepared and analyzed via mechanical ball milling.The samples were characterized by SEM,XRD,TG-DSC,constant volume and constant pressure combustion experiments.The first exothermic peaks of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO and Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3) appear at 579°C and 564.5°C,respectively.The corresponding activation energies are similar.The corresponding mechanism functions are set as G(a) = [-ln(1-a)]^(3/4) and G(a) =[-ln(1-a)]2/3,respectively,which belong to the Avrami-Erofeev equation.Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO has better thermal safety.For small dose samples,its critical temperature of thermal explosion is 121.05°C higher than that of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3).During combustion,the flame of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO is spherical,and the main products are FeAl_(2)O_(4) and Cu.The flame of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3)is jet-like,and the main products are Al_(2)O_(3),Bi and Fe.Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3)has better ignition and gas production performance.Its average ignition energy is 4.2 J lower than that of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO.Its average step-up rate is 28.29 MPa/s,which is much higher than 6.84 MPa/s of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO.This paper provides a reference for studying the thermal safety and combustion performance of ternary thermite.