In situ iron coating of amorphous boron and characterization of its energy release behavior

Boron was widely employed as metal fuel in solid propellants for its higher gravimetric and volumetric combustion enthalpies. However, the low melting point and high boiling point of B2O3 on the surface of boron particles significantly hinder its ignition and combustion performance, seriously preventing the full realization of its thermodynamic potential. To address this issue, B@Fe composite fuels with different iron contents from 1.59 % to 7.09 % were prepared via liquid phase reduction in this paper and the quasi-static high temperature oxidation, ignition and combustion reaction characteristics and corresponding mechanism were studied, in order to provide effective modification techniques in supporting the large-scale engineering application of boron as metal fuel. The study results show that B@Fe can effectively reduce the ignition temperature and maximum heat flow temperature of amorphous boron, and increase the maximum mass gain rate. The ignition temperature and maximum heat flow temperature have an exponential function with the iron coating content. Iron coated amorphous boron can effectively shorten the laser ignition delay time by more than 50 %, and significantly change the flame structure, flame evolution process and combustion duration. Both amorphous boron and iron-coated amorphous boron flame showed a multi-layer structure, including the outer green flame, the middle yellow flame and the central incandescent flame. However, with the increase of the iron coating content, the flame height increased from 5.5 cm to 6.3 cm, the flame structure changed from mushroom type to triangle type, and the central incandescent flame area increased significantly. The equivalent combustion duration increased from 975 ms to 1997 ms, and the flame temperature increased from 1288 to 1505 °C. The emission spectra of BO2 and BO lines are captured during combustion. B@Fe with the increase of iron content, a large number of small diameter micropores appear in the condensed combustion products(CCPs) of composite fuels, and a grid-like structure was formed. With the increase of iron coating content, the boron content of condensed combustion products decreases, and the oxygen content increases. The main components of CCP include B, B2O3, B6O, FeB, Fe2B and Fe3B. Based on the ignition combustion experiment of B@Fe composite fuel, ignition combustion analysis model of B@Fe composite fuel was established.