Bio-inspired metastable intermolecular nanothermite composite based on Manganese dioxide/Polydopamine/Aluminium

Abstract

Surface engineering of energetic particles can offer significant applications; the emergence of surface modification with polydopamine (PDA) can propose novel material science. Even though, nanothermites (metal oxide/metal) can offer surplus heat output; the reaction rate is comparatively-low as it is limited to the interplaner distance between particles. Intimate mixing between metal oxide/metal could be accomplished via surface modification. This study reports on the facile synthesis of MnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) of 5 nm average particle size. On the other hand, Al NPs in the shape of plates of 100 nm particle size were employed. Surface modification of Al NPs with PDA was conducted via in situ polymerization. Colloidal MnO2 NPs integrated into PDA/Al during the polymerization process. DPA layer was effectively-deposited on the aluminium surface and effectively-anchored MnO2 NPs. SEM micrographs of developed MnO2/PDA/Al nanocomposite demonstrated the successful bonding of MnO2 to Al surface via strong PDA chemical bonding. From FTIR spectra, the sharp peaks at 1544 cm−1 and 1389 cm−1 attributed to the C=O and C–O bonds, respectively, and could be due to bond formation between Mn and oxygen in C=O, and C–O in PDA. The developed MnO2/PDA/Al demonstrated the uniform distribution of MnO2 NPs on Al nano-plates. This work dropped the light toward the green production of novel nanothermite hybrid with durable chemical bonding. MnO2/PDA/Al hybrid can offer superior combustion characteristics with intimate mixing between the oxidizer and metal fuel to the molecular level.