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The efficient energy release of oxidizers and aluminum (Al) is of great significance in the field of high-energy propellants. Typically, the energy release efficiency of composite energetic materials is enhanced by improving the thermal decomposition and combustion of oxidizers or Al through the addition of catalytic materials. However, the catalysts primarily catalyze one of the components in composite energetic materials. Developing a strategy to simultaneously enhance the energy release of oxidizers and Al using catalysts holds significant appeal. In this study, the Cobalt (Co) nanoparticle interface layer was constructed on the surface of Al powder through a one-step redox reaction to improve the decomposition and combustion performance of the oxidizer@Al composites. The Co nanoparticles with high reactivity act as "transport centers" facilitating the rapid transport of external oxygen to the internal active Al powder, thereby enhancing the thermal oxidation efficiency of the Al powder. The highly active Co nanoparticles also accelerate the ultrafast thermal decomposition of oxidizers, especially reducing the thermal decomposition temperature of ammonium perchlorate@Al@Co-30% from 397.04 °C (AP@Al) to 311.69 °C. It also promotes the accumulation of products during the thermal decomposition of the oxidizers, and the HCl content in DAP@Al@Co-10% and the NO 2 content in AP@Al@Co-10% and CL-20@Al@Co-10% significantly increased during their thermal decomposition, further confirming the pronounced catalytic effect of Co nanoparticles. Furthermore, the synergistic catalytic effect of Co nanoparticle transit centers on Al powder and oxidizers also promotes the full combustion of oxidizer@Al energetic microunits, resulting in a significant decrease in combustion duration and an obvious increase in maximum flame area and flame growth rate of oxidizer@Al composite energetic microunits. In brief, the Co nanoparticle transit centers established in this study simultaneously enhances the thermal decomposition and combustion properties of both Al powder and oxidizers, which is expected to significantly improve the energy release efficiency of propellants without changing their formulation. • In this study, autonomous thermite-recycled cobalt nanoreactors on aluminum were prepared using a one-step redox method. • The highly dispersible Co nanoparticles exhibit significant catalytic effect on various oxidizers. • The highly dispersed Co nanoparticles enhance the energy release efficiency of the oxidizer@Al energetic microunits.
Kou et al. (Sat,) studied this question.