Publications

Commercial aluminum powders, Part I: Particle size characterization and slow heating rate thermal analysis

De Lucia, Frank C.; Giri, Lily; Pesce-Rodriguez, Rose A.; Wu, Chi C.; Dean, Steven W.; Tovar, Trenton M.; Sausa, Rosario C.; Wainwright, Elliot R.; Gottfried, Jennifer L.

We characterized nine commercial aluminum (Al) powders using several methods to measure particle characteristics and thermal analysis, with the goal to understand how these parameters influence energy release. Although it is well-known that lot-to-lot variations in commercial nanoparticles are common, the Al powders were more heterogeneous than anticipated – both with regards to particle size distributions and impurities. Manufacturer specifications – often quoted in the literature without confirmation – were not always accurate for the specific sample lots we investigated. In several cases, different conclusions could be drawn from individual particle size techniques; a combination of multiple techniques provides a clearer picture of the powder properties. Thorough characterization of Al powders is required prior to interpretation of experimental results from a variety of applications. In particular, previous studies have shown contradictory results on the influence of Al on detonation performance, perhaps partially due to insufficient characterization of the Al powders themselves.