A Thermal Study of Mixtures of Micron-sized Copper (II) Oxide, Aluminum and Magnalium

Richard Harrison

Abstract: The reaction temperature in ignited samples of thermite compositions containing CuO and varying proportions of aluminum and magnalium was monitored at 1ms intervals by means of small embedded thermocouples. Analysis of the temperature profiles reveals that, in all cases, an exothermic minimum in the region of 950 K provides a significant contribution to the period from ignition to thermal runaway. The profiles were found to contain features that are attributable to both aluminum and magnesium (or magnalium) across the whole temperature range, indicating, in contrast to a commonly held belief about such mixtures, that the two metals were active participants at all stages of the reaction.

 


Ref: JPyro 2020 (1-10)

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