Facile method constructed naphthalene and Cu-C/Ni-C modified amorphous boron with high ignition and combustion performances

How to improve the ignition and combustion performances has become the key factor for the wide applications of boron-based fuels. In this paper, we design a facile method to construct naphthalene and Ni-C/Cu-C modified boron based materials. Naphthalene is modified to boron by recrystallization. Then Ni-C/Cu-C are modified to boron surface by following mechanical grinding. The structure of the modified boron is investigated by XRD, SEM, and TEM tests, which reveal that naphthalene and Cu-C/Ni-C are modified to the boron particles. The ignition and combustion performances of the modified boron are investigated by TG-DSC, oxygen bomb, laser ignition combining with high speed camera and combustion emission spectrum tests. Results show that the ignition and combustion performances of naphthalene and Ni-C/Cu-C modified boron are greatly improved. The calorific value of naphthalene and Ni-C modified boron reaches up to 43.9 MJ/kg. The ignition delay and combustion duration time are shortened accompanied with the increase of calorific value. Violent combustion and micro-explosion of the modified boron inhibits the adhesive of boron oxide onto boron particle surface. This paper proves that the ignition and combustion performance of boron can be improved by the surface modification of transition metals and naphthalene. Recrystallization combining with mechanical grinding is an effective and facile method to construct high ignition and combustion performance boron-based fuels.