Energetic Materials Combustion Laboratory (EMCL)

S. F. Son School of Mechanical Engineering

sson@purdue.edu http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~sson/

Propellant Combustion
Research topics of interest:
Improved catalysts Air breathing fuels Microscale thrusters & actuators Combustion instabilities Erosive burning Advanced propellants
Igniter & Simple Nozzle Propellant

Example: Microthrusters
Current microthrusters do not focus on propellant issues High nitrogen materials can burn in small thrusters and are easily ignited at low pressures
A. N. Ali, S. F. Son, M. A. Hiskey, D. L. Naud, Novel High Nitrogen Propellant use in Solid Fuel Micropropulsion, Journal of Propulsion and Power, 20(1), pp. 120-126 (2004).

Recent Publications:
B. C. Tappan, Ali, A. N., Son, S. F. and T. B. Brill, Decomposition and ignition of the high-nitrogen compound triaminoguanidinium azotetrazolate (TAGzT), Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics v.31, no.3, p.163-168, 2006. A. N. Ali, M. M. Sandstrom, D. M. Oschwald, K. M. Moore, and S. F. Son, Laser Ignition of DAAF, DHT, and DAATO3.5, Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics 30, No. 5, pp. 351-355 (2005). D. E. Chavez, B. C. Tappan, M. A. Hiskey, S. F. Son, H. Harry, D. Montoya, S. Hagelberg, New high-nitrogen materials based on nitroguanyl-tetrazines: Explosive properties, thermal decomposition and combustion studies, Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics, 30(6), pp. 412-417 (2005). A. N. Ali, S. F. Son, B. W. Asay, and R. K. Sander, Importance of the gas phase role to the prediction of energetic material behavior: An experimental study, Journal of Applied Physics, 97(6), pp. 1-7 (2005). A.N. Ali, S.F. Son, M.Q. Brewster, M.E. Decroix, and B.W. Asay, High Irradiance Laser Ignition of Explosives, Combustion Science and Technology, 175(8), pp. 1551-1571 (2003).

500 m

Array of Microthrusters (Kelly, LSU)

Composite Energetic Materials

Topics of interests:
Nanoscale energetic materials (nanoenergetics) Reactives such as Al-Teflon for application to structural energetics or reactive projectiles Flame spread on nanoaluminum Microscale combustion of nanoenergetics

Recent Publications:
V. I. Levitas, B. W. Asay, S. F. Son, and M. Pantoya, A Mechanism for Fast Reaction of Nanothermites Based on Dispersion of Liquid Metal, Accepted in Applied Physics Letters, 2006. D. G. Tasker, B. W Asay , J. C. King, V. E. Sanders, and S. F. Son Dynamic Measurements of Electrical Conductivity in Metastable Intermolecular Composites, Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 99, no. 2, p.23705-1-7, 2006. B. Bockmon, M. L. Pantoya, S. F. Son, and B. W. Asay, Burning Rates and Propagation Mechanisms of Metastable Intermolecular Composites, Journal of Applied Physics, 98(6), pp. 1-7 (2005). W. L. Perry, B. L. Smith, C. J. Bulian, J. R. Busse, C. S. Macomber, R. C. Dye, and S. F. Son, Nano-Scale Tungsten Oxides For Metastable Intermolecular Composites, Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics, 29(2), pp. 99-105 (2004). D. S. Moore, S. F. Son, and B. W. Asay, The Time Resolved Spectral Emission from Deflagrating Metastable Interstitial Composites Composed of Nano-Aluminum and Nano-MoO3 Powders, Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics, 29(2), pp. 106-111 (2004). B. W. Asay, S. F. Son, J. R. Busse, and D. M. Oschwald, Ignition Characteristics of Metastable Intermolecular Composites, Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics, 29(4), pp. 216-219 (2004). M. L. Pantoya, S. F. Son, W. C. Danen, B. S. Jorgensen, B. W. Asay, and J. R. Busse, Characterization of Metastable Intermolecular Composites (MICs), (Book Chapter) Chapter 16 in Defense Applications of Nanomaterials, A. W. Miziolek, et al. Eds., an ACS Symposium Series Book, Vol. 3 (2004).

Example: Flame Spread on Nanoaluminum

The combustion of nano-scale aluminum poorly understood Flame spread used as a means for characterizing the combustion of nanoaluminum with gaseous oxidizers
J. Y. Malchi, R. A. Yetter, S. F. Son, and G. A. Risha, NanoAluminum Flame Spread with Fingering Combustion Instabilities, Presented at the 31st International Symposium on Combustion , 2006.

Combustion Synthesis
Using combustion synthesis, beginning with a metal complex we have made ultrahigh surface area metal foams
There are many applications of these unique materials

Publications:
B. C. Tappan, M. H. Huynh, M. A. Hiskey, D. E. Chavez, and S. F. Son, Ultralow-density nanostructured metal foams: Combustion synthesis, morphology, and composition, Journal of the American Chemical Society, v.128, no.20, p.6589-6594, 2006. B. C. Tappan, M. H. Huynh, M. A. Hiskey, D. E. Chavez, E. Luther, D. L. Naud, J. T. Mang, and S. F. Son, Energetic decomposition of high-nitrogen metal complexes and the formation of low-density nanostructured metal monoliths, Material Research Society Fall Meeting, Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, v.896, p.15-24, 2006.

Microscale combustion
Energetic materials and gaseous combustion
Applications include microthrusters, microscale actuation, and power generation Example: Combustion of Nanoscale Thermites in microchannels Microscale combustion is of interest in small-volume energydemanding systems, such as power supplies, actuation, ignition, and propulsion Dependence of propagation rate with tube diameter obtained
S. F. Son, B. W. Asay, T. J. Foley, R. A. Yetter, M. H. Wu, and G. A. Risha, Combustion of Nanoscale Al/MoO3 Thermite in Microchannels, Submitted to J. Propulsion, 2006.

1200 V = 1090.3 - 0.1508/d R= 0.99351 1100

Propagation Velocity (m/s)

1000

900

800

700 0 500 1000 1500

-1

2000

2500

1/Diameter (m )

Publications:
A. N. Ali, S. F. Son, M. A. Hiskey, D. L. Naud, Novel High Nitrogen Propellant use in Solid Fuel Micropropulsion, Journal of Propulsion and Power, 20(1), pp. 120-126 (2004). M. H. Wu, M. P. Burke, S. F. Son, R. A. Yetter, Flame Acceleration and the Transition to Detonation of Stoichiometric Ethylene/Oxygen in Microscale Tubes, Presented at the 31st International Symposium on Combustion , 2006.

Explosives safety
Topics of interest
Deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) Thermal explosion (cook-off) Flame spread Convective burning Combustion in cracks Insensitive munitions Example: Flame Spread on PBX 9501 There is little flame spread data for homogeneous energetic materials and no data for nitramines The flame spread rate is of the same order of magnitude as normal deflagration and varies nearly as the square root of pressure, as our simple analysis predicts
S. F. Son, B. W. Asay, E. M. Whitney, and H. L. Berghout, Flame Spread Across Surfaces of PBX 9501, Presented at the 31st International Symposium on Combustion , 2006. Flame Front

Unburned Flame Inhibitor

Regressing Surface

Flame Spread Direction 10 mm

Recent Publications:
H. L. Berghout, S. F. Son, L. G. Hill, and B. W. Asay, Flame spread through cracks of PBX 9501 (a composite octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro1,3,5,7-tetrazocine-based explosive), Journal of Applied Physics, vol.99, no.11, p.114901-1-7, 2006. B. W. Asay, S. F. Son, P. M. Dickson, L. B. Smilowitz, and B. F. Henson, An investigation of the dynamic response of thermocouples in inert and reacting condensed phase energetic materials, Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics, 30(3), pp. 199-208 (2005). H. L. Berghout, S. F. Son, C. B. Skidmore, D. J. Idar, B. W. Asay, Combustion of Damaged PBX 9501 Explosive, Thermochimica Acta, 384, pp. 261-277 (2002). H. L. Berghout, S. F. Son, and B. W. Asay, Convective Burning in Gaps of PBX 9501, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 28, pp. 911-917 (2000).

Multiphase Combustion: Coal Combustion

An oxygen blown, or oxy-fuel or O2/CO2) system increases the concentration of CO2 by using pure oxygen instead of air for combustion in PC power plants By using pure oxygen for combustion the concentration of CO2 can be increased from 13-15% (wet basis) to 80-90 percent (Dry Basis) However, few combustion studies have focused on oxy-fuel combustion, especially at pressures We are designing a dust cloud experiments using pulverized coal in a chamber of O2 (diluted with CO2), igniting the mixture, and studying the flame propagation dynamics as well as measuring the products We are designing a dust cloud experiments using pulverized coal in a chamber of O2 (diluted with CO2), igniting the mixture, and studying the flame propagation dynamics as well as measuring the products

Storage and release of chemically stored hydrogen

Storage and release of chemically stored hydrogen
Combustion of nanoaluminum and liquid water Decomposition of ammonia borane and hydrides Example: Combustion of nanoaluminum and liquid water Composite systems have been studied for H2 production for fuel cells. New nano-materials (such as nAl, nB, nFe2O3) and new chemicals (such as high nitrogen-high hydrogen compounds TAGzT and DAATO3.5) may now be used to control the production rate and H2 gas temperature.
G. A. Risha, S. F. Son, B. C. Tappan, R. A. Yetter, and V. Yang, Combustion of Nano-Aluminum and Liquid Water, Presented at the 31st International Symposium on Combustion , 2006.
Exh aust PT Propellan t Booster Quartz Tube Argon Inlet Nichrome Wire nAl-H 2O Mixture