Microfluidic assisted 90% loading CL-20 spherical particles: Enhancing self-sustaining combustion performance

Abstract

The performance of the chemical fuel determines the altitude, range and longevity of spacecraft in air and space exploration. Promising alternatives (e.g., hypergolic ionic liquids or high-energy composites) with high-energy density, heat of formation and fast initial rate are considered as potential chemical fuels. As the high-energy density material, hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) often serves as secondary explosive with poor self-propagating combustion behaviors. Herein, 90% loading CL-20 microspheres with uniform particle sizes are precisely prepared by microfluid method, which exhibit unique hierarchical structure. The morphology, thermal behaviors, as well as combustion performance were further investigated. The results demonstrated that as-prepared spherical particles exhibit prominent thermal compatibility, and the enhanced self-sustaining combustion performance. This work provides an efficient method achieving the uniform high-energy density particles with excellent self-sustaining combustion performance.