Engineered Metastable Intermolecular Composites: Microstructures, Combustion and Applications

拟议的研究计划的目标是开发新的纳米铝基高能材料，或亚稳态分子间复合材料（MIC），使其能够可靠地用于新兴的民用和国防应用，如纳米卫星和微电子设备。这些复合材料由纳米级铝粉（n-Al）和纳米结构氧化物组分（如CuO、Fe 2 O3、NiO或MnO 3）制成，具有特定的化学和物理性能。点燃后，n-Al与金属氧化物迅速反应并形成新的材料相，伴随着强烈的能量释放，随后在受限环境中产生压力波。与TNT和RDX等单分子材料相比，MIC具有更大的体积能量密度，并已在推进和驱动基于微机电系统（MEMS）的设备中得到证实。拟议的研究计划的两个主要目标是，寻求突破的n-Al基MIC的微观结构和他们的点火和固态反应动力学之间的相关性的基本理解，并探索创新的混合和制造技术，用于生产工程MIC模式与控制火焰传播速率的MEMS能源供应和先进的材料连接的潜在应用。 在未来五年内，拟议的研究计划将解决理论和实验研究，以追求上述目标。第一项工作是研究金属氧化物纳米材料的微观结构和材料性质，包括纳米颗粒、纳米线和纳米棒。与n-Al混合后，将用分析化学技术表征MIC的粒度分布和形貌、晶体结构和化学组成，以确定纳米颗粒之间的相关性（类型和形状等），微结构和MIC特性。第二个任务的重点是调查点火和反应特性和火焰传播的MIC粉末和图案。将开发一种新的尺寸分辨的纳米颗粒气体化学分析装置，以调查点火和燃烧的个别n-Al。实验研究也将进行热重分析仪（TGA）与热点火和在一个恒定体积的容器中与电和激光点火，分别。采用密度泛函理论和分子动力学方法研究了表面反应、原子扩散和体积膨胀过程。第三个任务是探索MIC的应用，将采用光刻技术并进行优化，以满足MIC的材料和结构特性，从而有效地将MIC植入目标芯片的指定位置。然后，局部热生成，点燃与一个优选的源，将被量化和研究，以提供能量的材料连接，并作为一个功率脉冲源致动MEMS组件。 加拿大在下一代工程MIC的研究和开发方面落后，特别是缺乏有助于基本了解工程亚稳分子间复合材料的点火和反应特性的计划。拟议的项目将解决这一关键差距，并产生一个世界级的研究团队，这将有可能使加拿大在这一领域的全球领导者。

The proposed research program targets the development of new nano-aluminum based energetic materials, or metastable intermolecular composites (MICs), to enable their reliable uses in emerging civil and defense applications such as nanosatellites and microelectronic devices. These composites, made of nanosized aluminum powders (n-Al) and a nanostructured oxide component such as CuO, Fe2O3, NiO or MnO3, are engineered with specific chemical and physical properties. After ignition, n-Al reacts rapidly with the metal-oxide and forms new material phases, accompanied by intensive energy release and, subsequently, generation of a pressure wave in a constrained environment. In comparison with monomolecular materials such as TNT and RDX, MIC possesses a much greater volume based energy density and has proven applications in propulsion and powering microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based devices. Two major objectives of the proposed research program are, to seek a breakthrough in fundamental understanding of the correlations between the microstructures of n-Al based MICs and their ignition and solid-state reaction kinetics, and to explore innovative mixing and fabrication technologies for producing engineered MIC patterns with controlled flame propagation rates for potential applications in MEMS energy supply and advanced material joining. Over the next five years, the proposed research program will address both theoretical and experimental studies in pursuit of the above objectives. The first task focuses on characterizing the micro-structures and material properties of MICs. Various metal oxide nanostructures including nanoparticles, nanowires and nanorods will be synthesized. After being mixed with n-Al, the particle size distribution and morphology, crystalline structures and chemical compositions of MICs will be characterized with analytical chemistry techniques, in order to identify the correlations among nanoparticles (types and shapes, etc.), microstructures and MIC properties. The second task focuses on investigating ignition and reaction characteristics and flame propagation of the MIC powder and patterns. A novel size-resolved nanoparticle-gas chemical analysis apparatus will be developed to investigate ignition and combustion of individual n-Al. Experimental investigations will also be performed in a Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) with thermal ignition and in a constant-volume vessel with electrical and laser ignition, respectively. The density functional theory and molecular dynamics method will be implemented to reveal the surface reactions and atomic diffusion and volume expansion processes. The third task focuses on exploring the applications of MICs. The photolithography technique will be adopted and optimized, satisfying the material and structural properties of MICs, to effectively implant MICs on specified locations on a target chip. Then the localized heat generation, ignited with a preferable source, will be quantified and investigated to provide energy for material joining and act as a power pulse source to actuate MEMS components. Canada is falling behind in the research and development of next-generation engineered MICs, and is particularly lacking in programs that will contribute a basic understanding of ignition and reaction characteristics of engineered metastable intermolecular composites. The proposed project will address this critical gap and produce a world-class research team which will potentially make Canada a global leader in this field.