A micro initiator realized by integrating KNO3@CNTs nanoenergetic materials with a Cu microbridge

A micro initiator was developed by integrating KNO3@CNTs nanoenergetic materials with a Cu thin-film microbridge realized onto a glass substrate. It was fabricated by magnetron sputtering with Cu and subsequent electrophoretic deposition with KNO3@CNTs nanoenergetic materials, which were prepared by wet chemical method, embedding KNO3 in carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The samples were characterized by TEM, XRD, TG/DSC and SEM, respectively. The electrical explosion performances of the micro initiator under capacitor discharge were investigated. The process of electrical explosion was observed by high-speed photography and the temperature distribution versus time was acquired by a temperature measurement system with double line of atomic emission spectroscopy. The results show that the hollow cavities of the CNTs were filled with crystalline KNO3, and that the entire surface of the micro initiator was well distributed without large reunion. Compared with single-layer Cu thin-film microbridge, the micro initiator possessed more violent electrical explosion process, the electrical explosion duration was longer, and the peak temperature was higher, which indicate that chemical reactions of KNO3@CNTs nanoenergetic materials were involved in the electrical explosion process of the micro initiator, accompanied by more heat release.

► CNTs with the oxidant KNO3 filled in its cavity can form a new class of nEMs.
► EPD was the proper method to manipulate the CNTs composite energetic materials.
► The KNO3@CNTs nEMs were used in the micro initiator to improve the performance.
► A temperature measurement system was applied to test the electrical explosion temperature distribution.