Enhancing the mechanical and energy release performance of nano-aluminum@fluororubber (nAl@F₂₃₁₁) core–shell microstructured composite materials

Aluminum (Al)-based reactive materials have recently attracted much attention due to their excellent chemical energy release characteristics. However, there still exists a great challenge to improve the mechanical properties and energy density of Al-based reactive materials. In this work, we reported that core–shell nano-aluminum@fluororubber (nAl@F2311) composites with good mechanical properties and high energy release characteristics were designed and fabricated by the electrical exploding wires method. The results showed that Al nanospheres were coated by F2311 uniformly to form the nAl@F2311 core–shell microstructure with high Al contents. Quasi-static/Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar dynamic compression test results showed axial splitting failure mode of nAl@F2311 composites. nAl@F2311-10 composites with 90 wt. % Al contents had higher compressive strength, with quasi-static and dynamic compressive strength of 117.6 and 304.6 MPa, respectively. nAl@F2311-15 composites with 85 wt. % Al contents had a lower ignition threshold. Furthermore, the impact-induced energy release test showed higher fluorine contents will accelerate energy release, reduce impact ignition threshold, and improve the reaction efficiency of nAl@F2311 composites. The high reaction efficiency (97.79%) of the nAl@F2311-15 composites was obtained at an impact velocity of 1090 m/s. This offered a concept-of-proof work to design and fabrication of nanostructured reaction materials, which had high strength and energy release performance.