TY - JOUR
T1 - Fundamental investigation on the micro-explosion of aluminum-lithium alloy particle
AU - Zhou, Yintao
AU - Mao, Qian
AU - NG, Shao Ing
AU - Chu, Qingzhao
AU - Liao, Lijuan
AU - Shi, Baolu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025
PY - 2025/4
Y1 - 2025/4
N2 - The aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) alloy particle is considered to be a promising alternative for conventional aluminum particles to enhance energy release in solid propellants, owing to its tendency to undergo micro-explosions during combustion processes. In this study, both laser-induced ignition/combustion experiments and reactive molecular dynamics (RMD) simulations were performed to comprehensively capture the complete micro-explosion sequence of Al-Li alloy particles under a high-pressure oxygen condition. In combustion experiments, higher heating rates and Li concentrations effectively increase the probability of micro-explosions and shorten both the ignition delay time and the combustion time of Al-Li alloy particles. Meanwhile, RMD results reveal the micro-explosion mechanism from atomic scale, highlighting that the aggregation, melting, boiling and growth of Li cluster are the prerequisites for micro-explosion. The competition of stresses in the outer shell and inner Li cluster determine the micro-explosion phenomenon. In addition, influences of heating rates and Li concentrations on the micro-explosion were well clarified and their dependence was summarized. A high heating rate provides more energy to atoms within the Al-Li alloy particle through reactions and collisions, thereby shortening the duration of the atomic diffusion stage before micro-explosion. Furthermore, a high Li concentration enhances the expansion stress of the Li cluster to shorten the cluster growth stage. This systematic study establishes a fundamental understanding of the intricate mechanisms governing the micro-explosion of Al-Li alloy particles, offering potential insights for guiding practical applications.
AB - The aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) alloy particle is considered to be a promising alternative for conventional aluminum particles to enhance energy release in solid propellants, owing to its tendency to undergo micro-explosions during combustion processes. In this study, both laser-induced ignition/combustion experiments and reactive molecular dynamics (RMD) simulations were performed to comprehensively capture the complete micro-explosion sequence of Al-Li alloy particles under a high-pressure oxygen condition. In combustion experiments, higher heating rates and Li concentrations effectively increase the probability of micro-explosions and shorten both the ignition delay time and the combustion time of Al-Li alloy particles. Meanwhile, RMD results reveal the micro-explosion mechanism from atomic scale, highlighting that the aggregation, melting, boiling and growth of Li cluster are the prerequisites for micro-explosion. The competition of stresses in the outer shell and inner Li cluster determine the micro-explosion phenomenon. In addition, influences of heating rates and Li concentrations on the micro-explosion were well clarified and their dependence was summarized. A high heating rate provides more energy to atoms within the Al-Li alloy particle through reactions and collisions, thereby shortening the duration of the atomic diffusion stage before micro-explosion. Furthermore, a high Li concentration enhances the expansion stress of the Li cluster to shorten the cluster growth stage. This systematic study establishes a fundamental understanding of the intricate mechanisms governing the micro-explosion of Al-Li alloy particles, offering potential insights for guiding practical applications.
KW - Al-Li alloy particle
KW - High-pressure combustion
KW - Micro-explosion
KW - Molecular dynamics simulation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85215384941&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.combustflame.2025.113983
DO - 10.1016/j.combustflame.2025.113983
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85215384941
SN - 0010-2180
VL - 274
JO - Combustion and Flame
JF - Combustion and Flame
M1 - 113983
ER -