RI: Upgrade of Equipment for Ultrafast Laser Synthesis, Ignition, and Diagnostics System for Energetics
Abstract
Funds are requested from the ARO Research Instrumentation (RI) Program for the upgrade of an ultrafast laser synthesis, ignition, and diagnostics system. Specifically, a femtosecond laser currently being acquired through an ARO DUIRP grant can have its output beam shifted into the visible with a second harmonic generator. A previously-acquired (from ARO funds) ICCD camera needs a new board for external triggering. These items would significantly augment the capabilities of the system. The aforementioned system is for use in an on-going ARO project, ÒSynthesis of Novel NanoEnergetics and Study of Their Reactant InterfacesÓ (Grant W911NF-17-1-0111), where novel thermite nanocomposites are fabricated and characterized. For example, flame and ionic-liquid electrodeposition syntheses are combined to produce novel arrays of metal-oxide nanowires coated with nanolayers of aluminum. Specifically, the requested femtosecond laser and ICCD components will provide for advantageous synthesis, modification, diagnostics, and ignition of the nano-energetics described above. Specifically, the improved instrumentation will help us to accomplish better the following: (i) Synthesize Al nanoparticles by ablation of bulk aluminum in liquids at different excitation wavelengths; (ii) Modify energetic nanocomposites by machining/milling, without igniting (which should be wavelength dependent), into specific micro/meso/bulk-scale structures; (iii) Ignite energetic samples at different wavelengths and pulsed laser ignition thresholds different than that for nanosecond pulses, revealing fundamental aspects of the different designs of our nanoenergetics; (iv) Diagnose chemical species and temperatures during ignition and burning, with high temporal and spatial resolution using the externally triggered ICCD camera attached a triple spectrometer; Our nano-thermite geometry not only presents potential tailored heat-release characteristics because of anisotropic arrangement of fuel and oxidizer, but also excludes or minimizes the existence of an interfacial Al2O3 passivation layer. This coaxial energetic can be further coated with nanoscale polymer to minimize environmental oxidation, as well as augment exothermic heat release through fluorine oxidation by polymers such as Teflon and PVDF. Moreover, metal-oxide in the form of nanoplates are also fabricated and coated with nanoscale Al, with and without successive polymer coating. Ignition and combustion of these nanostructures (with built-in strain energy from large lattice mismatches between reactants) permit fundamental study into controlling mechanisms of reaction for thermites. As such, the proposed instrumentation readily enhances the research capabilities (as described above) currently funded by ARO.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jun 25, 2021
- Source ID
- W911NF2110110
Entities
People
- Stephen Da-Yen Tse
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Rutgers University
- United States Army