Review on the laser-induced performance of photothermal materials for ignition application

Abstract Laser ignition has been widely studied, and is regarded as a potential initiation technique in pyrotechnics owing to its simple ignition sequence, good safety, high ignition consistency, and strong anti-electromagnetic interference ability. One of the most important requirements for the practical application of laser ignition is the reduction of ignition energy, which requires both good light absorption and good photothermal properties of energetic materials or additives in energetic materials. Therefore, in this review, the recent progress of different photothermal materials and their laser-induced performances have been summarized. First, an overview of optical ignition, especially laser ignition, including the main categories, mechanisms, advantages, and applications, was introduced. Then, different photothermal materials, including carbon-based materials, composite materials, explosives, and gaseous mixtures, were summarized, and their photothermal performances were listed and compared. Finally, the strategies and challenges of designing photothermal materials with optimized performance were discussed, which can provide suggestions for the choice of photothermal energetic materials and can provide primary guidance for the design and fabrication of the same for laser ignition applications.