Ti/WO3, a nanothermite for special purposes: An experimental study

Abstract

A new nanothermite system, composed of titanium and tungsten trioxide is reported. Initial investigations show that it has low-average sensitivity to mechanical stimuli (friction, impact), but that its sensitivity to laser irradiation can be controlled in a moderately wide range. The combustion of this nanothermite system takes place at a very high apparent temperature (> 3695 K) and it follows the key predictions of the established reactive sintering mechanism, as supported by SEM-EDS and XRD analyses.

Keywords

• Nanothermite
• Combustion
• Energetic material
• Laser initiation
• Sensitivity