TDA RESEARCH, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: Due to its favorable combustion properties, aluminum is the material of choice in metalize

Description

Due to its favorable combustion properties, aluminum is the material of choice in metalized nanoparticle formulations for energetic materials; however, the full potential of aluminum nanoparticles has not been realized due to the presence of a nascent oxide layer (Al2O3) that surrounds the nanoparticles and retards combustion. As a result, the military needs novel passivation techniques that have a minimal effect on the combustion properties but still protect the native Al-metal from oxidation under ambient conditions. TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) proposes to develop surface modification chemistry for passivating bare Al-nanoparticles (i.e., Al-nanoparticles that will not form a surface oxide-layer). Using a combination of computational methods and experimental chemistry, TDA will develop surface passivation chemistry that will protect the native Al-metal nanoparticles from oxidation and thereby enhance their reactivity. By developing novel Al-surface chemistry that will passivate bare Al-nanoparticles without the formation of a non-reactive oxide layer, we will develop an air-stable Al-nanoparticle that has a decreased passivation layer thickness and thus will be more reactive.