Michael R. Zachariah

Promoting aluminum nanoparticle ejection from HTPB via exothermic polymer-bound mesoparticles

The incorporation and subsequent ejection of aluminum nanoparticles (nAl) from hydroxyl‑terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) remains a significant challenge due to the high specific surface area of nAl and strong interfacial interactions with the polymer matrix. We demonstrate that on...

Measuring the pre-heating zone thermal profile: Effect of thermal diffusivity on propagation in nanothermite composites

The combustion behavior of nanothermite composites is governed by the coupled effects of chemical kinetics and transport (heat and mass). In this study, we investigated the role of thermal properties on the propagation of six nanothermite systems with distinct product morphologie...