Electrospray Deposition of Energetic Polymer Nanocomposites with High Mass Particle Loadings: A Prelude to 3D Printing of Rocket Motors

One of the challenges in the use of energetic nanoparticles within a polymer matrix is the difficulty in processing by traditional mixing methods. In this paper, electrospray deposition is employed to create high loadings of aluminum nanoparticles (Al‐NPs) in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) reactive...

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Published inAdvanced engineering materials Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 95 - 101
Main Authors Huang, Chuan, Jian, Guoqiang, DeLisio, Jeffery B., Wang, Haiyang, Zachariah, Michael R.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2015
Subjects
3D printing
Aluminum
Deposition
Differential scanning calorimetry
Nanocomposites
Nanoparticles
Polyvinylidene fluorides
Rockets
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Summary:One of the challenges in the use of energetic nanoparticles within a polymer matrix is the difficulty in processing by traditional mixing methods. In this paper, electrospray deposition is employed to create high loadings of aluminum nanoparticles (Al‐NPs) in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) reactive composite films. The deposited films containing up to 50 wt% Al are found to be crack free and mechanically flexible. Thermochemical behavior characterized by thermogravimetric (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis shows that the addition of Al‐NPs sharply reduces the onset decomposition temperature due to a pre‐ignition reaction occurring in the film. The combustion propagation velocity in air at three different mass loading of Al‐NPs shows burning rates of 5, 16, and 23 cm s−1 for loadings of 16.7, 30, and 50 wt% Al‐NPs. The results suggest electrospray deposition as a direct approach to make bulk polymer composites containing high metal particle mass loading and may be a prelude to 3D printing of rocket motors. Nanocomposite energetic films (nanoAl/PVDF) were fabricated by an electrospray deposition process, which enables high mass loadings of nanoparticles to be incorporated within a polymer matrix. These free‐standing films show good mechanical integrity, and self‐sustaining reaction propagation. This approach enables the direct writing of metallized energetic material, bypassing traditional casting.
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This work was financially supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Army Research Office. We acknowledge the support of the Maryland Nanocenter and its NispLab. The NispLab is supported in part by the NSF as a MRSEC Shared Experimental Facility. The authors also acknowledge Dr. Sandip Haldar for the micromechanical test and Philip Michael Guerieri for helping build the combustion chamber. Supporting Information is available from the Wiley Online Library or from the author.
ArticleID:ADEM201400151
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:1438-1656
1527-2648
DOI:10.1002/adem.201400151