Nano aluminum particles have received considerable attention in the combustion community; their physicochemical properties are quite favorable as compared with those of their micron-sized counterparts. The present work provides a comprehensive review of recent advances in the field of combustion of nano aluminum particles. The effect of the Knudsen number on heat and mass transfer properties of particles is first examined. Deficiencies of the currently available continuum models for combustion of nano aluminum particles are highlighted. Key physicochemical processes of particle combustion are identified and their respective time scales are compared to determine the combustion mechanisms for different particle sizes and pressures. Experimental data from several sources are gathered to elucidate the effect of the particle size on the flame temperature of aluminum particles. The flame structure and the combustion modes of aluminum particles are examined for wide ranges of pressures, particle sizes, and oxidizers. Key mechanisms that dictate the combustion behaviors are discussed. Measured burning times of nano aluminum particles are surveyed. The effects of the pressure, temperature, particle size, and type and concentration of the oxidizer on the burning time are discussed. A new correlation for the burning time of nano aluminum particles is established. Major outstanding issues to be addressed in the future work are identified.

Polynitrogen compounds (containing only nitrogen atoms) are promising candidates as energetic materials for rocket engineering. The high energy content of these compounds is due to the significant difference in bond energy between nitrogen atoms. In particular, molecular nitrogen (N 2 ) is characterized by a uniquely strong triple bond -229 kcal/mole, whereas the single-bond energy is only 38.4 kcal/mole. From theoretical estimates, use of polynitrogen compounds can provide a specific impulse of 350-500 sec with material density in a range of 2.0-3.9 g/cm 3 . This paper gives a brief review of the current status of experimental and theoretical studies in the chemistry of polynitrogen compounds.

The ignition of"condensed substances" is a recent scientific trend in combustion and explosion physics. Its principal .results have been obtained largely by using computers and modern experimental techniques. In this book the authors present a comprehensive theoretical examination of various ignition models and the elaboration of experimental approaches for their description. The first three chapters were originally published in 1984 in Russian (V. N. Vilyunov, Ignition

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