Importance

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Abstract

The compositions of different energetic metallic particles and corresponding coatings are chosen to take advantage of the resulting exothermic alloying reactions when the metals are combined or alloyed through heat activation. Bimetallic particles composed of a core/shell structure of differing metals are chosen such that, upon achieving the melt point for at least one of the metals, a relatively substantial amount of exothermic heat of alloying is liberated. In an embodiment, the core metal is aluminum and the shell metal is nickel. The nickel may be applied to the outer surface of the aluminum particles using an electroless process from a metal salt solution with a reducing agent in an aqueous solution or a solvent media. The aluminum particles may be pretreated with zinc to remove any aluminum oxide. The resulting bimetallic particles may be utilized as an enhanced blast additive by being dispersed within an explosive material.

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First Claim