Aluminum-ICE (ALICE) Propellants for Hydrogen Generation and Propulsion

Risha, Grant A.; Connell, Terrence L.; Yetter, Richard A.; Yang, Vigor; Wood, Tyler D.; Pfeil, Mark A.; Pourpoint, Timothée L.; Son, Steven F.

doi:10.2514/6.2009-4877

Cited by 20 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…Aluminum nanopowder reacts with practically all oxygen-containing chemicals. For instance, the mixtures of nano-Al with liquid or frozen water are combustible; such compositions were called ALICE (Aluminum-Ice) propellants and have been even used in experimental rocket motors by Risha et al [29] Aluminum nanopowders also react violently with mineral acids. For instance, the pastes which are prepared from nano-Al and sulfuric acid, give hydrogen detonations when they are placed in an open flame [30].…”

Section: On the Safe Handling Of Aluminum Nanopowdersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanothermites: A short Review. Factsheet for Experimenters, Present and Future Challenges

Comet

Martin

Schnell

et al. 2018

Propellants Explo Pyrotec

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Nanothermites are the most important family of energetic materials in contemporary pyrotechnics. This article traces the main research which was carried out in this still recent domain and the challenges that remain to be overcome. The academic effort of past two decades has brought nanothermites from the status of laboratory curiosities to the one of pre‐industrial materials. Different aspects of nanothermites are discussed in order to provide valuable information to scientists experimenting in this domain. Experimental details on the preparation and the disposal of nanothermites are reported. The current research on nanothermites deals with: (i) the development of new aluminothermic mixtures; (ii) the preparation of hybrid compositions by combining nanothermites with explosive nanopowders and (iii) the study of reactive properties. From an academic standpoint, the future challenges are to find new compositions and effects. From a practical standpoint, the effort must focus on the integration of nanothermites and their derivatives in pyrotechnic systems. Toxicological concerns are expected to become increasingly important over the next decade.

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Section: On the Safe Handling Of Aluminum Nanopowdersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanothermites: A short Review. Factsheet for Experimenters, Present and Future Challenges

Comet

Martin

Schnell

et al. 2018

Propellants Explo Pyrotec

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“…The 80-nm "as received" nano particles were passivated for 96-120 h in air, reducing the active Al content from 77-79% to $74.5%, to prevent the occurrence of low-temperature reactions [10]. Both the alane and micron Al particles were assumed to be 100% active, since the alumina content of the 20-lm Al is small and the alane is believed to be absent of any oxide.…”

Section: Sample Preparationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Details of the system specifications and ignition procedures can be found in Refs. [9,10]. Argon gas was used as a pressurant to achieve the desired chamber pressure.…”

Section: Combustion Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A detailed description of the passivation technique and mixing process is given in Ref. [10]. The mixture was filled into quartz sample tubes (10-mm OD, 8-mm ID) and then frozen at À35°C.…”

Section: Sample Preparationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ingentio and Bruno [5] suggested that aluminum/steam reactions can possibly produce a specific impulse greater than 300 s. Thus, coupled with the emergence of nano-sized particles, researchers have been examining Al and water mixtures for propulsion, power generation, and hydrogen production due to its efficient two-component configuration [6][7][8][9]. Considerable efforts have recently been made to investigate the combustion of Al-water mixtures in both the liquid and frozen phases [10][11][12][13][14]. These studies have shown high conversion efficiencies in constant-volume experiments and very high burning rates with nanometer sized Al particles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Combustion of alane and aluminum with water for hydrogen and thermal energy generation

Connell

Risha

Yetter

et al. 2011

Proceedings of the Combustion Institute

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Combustion of Nanoaluminum and Water Propellants: Effect of Equivalence Ratio and Safety/Aging Characterization

Sippel

Pourpoint

Son

2013

Propellants Explo Pyrotec

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The deflagration and combustion efficiency of 80 nm aluminum/ice (ALICE) mixtures with equivalence ratios of ϕ=1.0, 0.75, and 0.67 were experimentally investigated. We find that pressure exponent and burning rate vary little between these three mixtures, with the exponent varying only from 0.42 to 0.50 and burning rate at 6.9 MPa varying from 2.05 to 2.10 cm s−1. However, reducing the equivalence ratio from 1.0 to 0.67 surprisingly increases combustion efficiency from 70 % to 95 % with unburned aluminum agglomerates visible in electron microscopy photographs of 70 % combustion efficiency (ϕ=1.0) products. Our findings suggest that nanoaluminum/water combustion is diffusionally limited for all conditions considered. Aging tests on the propellant show that storage at −30 °C essentially stops the Al/H2O reaction such that little nanoaluminum degradation occurs after 200 days. Electrostatic discharge (ESD), shock initiation, and impact sensitivity tests indicate that the propellant is insensitive to ignition by these stimuli. Specifically, while neat nanoaluminum powders are highly ESD sensitive (ignition threshold 0.3–14 mJ), nAl/H2O mixtures are insensitive to ESD and have ignition thresholds in excess of 400 mJ. Likewise, nAl/H2O mixtures are insensitive to impact ignition, having an ignition threshold in excess of 2.2 m. Propellants containing 80 nm or larger average particle size aluminum were also found to be insensitive to shock initiation.

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Aluminum-ICE (ALICE) Propellants for Hydrogen Generation and Propulsion

Cited by 20 publications

References 4 publications

Nanothermites: A short Review. Factsheet for Experimenters, Present and Future Challenges

Nanothermites: A short Review. Factsheet for Experimenters, Present and Future Challenges

Combustion of alane and aluminum with water for hydrogen and thermal energy generation

Combustion of Nanoaluminum and Water Propellants: Effect of Equivalence Ratio and Safety/Aging Characterization

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