A Benchmark Study of Burning Rate of Selected Thermites through an Original Gasless Theoretical Model

This paper describes a kinetic model dedicated to thermite nanopowder combustion, in which core equations are based on condensed phase mechanisms only. We explore all combinations of fuels/oxidizers, namely Al, Zr, B/CuO, Fe2O3, WO3, and Pb3O4, with 60 % the theoretical maximum density packing, at govern reaction. Aluminothermites offer best performances, initiation delays range few tens microseconds, faster burn rates (60 cm s−1 for CuO). B Zr thermites primarily limited by diffusion characteristics their oxides that more stringent than common Al2O3 barrier layer. Combination poor thermal conductivity efficient oxygen towards fuel allows rapid initiation, while is essential increase rate, as evidenced from iron oxide giving fastest B- Zr-based (16 32 cm·s−1, respectively) despite mass transport properties phase; almost level Al/CuO (41 versus 61 cm·s−1). Finally, formulations effective conduction coefficient provided, pure bulk, nanoparticular structured material, light effects microstructure its size distribution performances.