Characterization of thermal reaction of aluminum/copper (II) oxide/poly(tetrafluoroethene) nanocomposite by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction

The application of fluoropolymers as reactive agent in energetic materials have attracted significant interest recently. In this study, the thermal reaction properties of the aluminum nanoparticles/copper (II) oxide nanoparticles/poly(tetrafluoroethene) (Al-NPs/CuO-NPs/PTFE) nanocomposite (mass ratio of Al-NPs/CuO-NPs/PTFE = 20/60/20) were investigated by means of thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry-mass spectrometry (TG/DSC-MS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The Al-NPs/PTFE (mass ratio of Al-NPs/PTFE = 50/50) and CuO-NPs/PTFE (mass ratio of CuO-NPs/PTFE = 75/25) nanocomposites were also prepared and tested for comparison. It is observed that PTFE is acting as both oxidizer and reducer during the thermal decomposition process of Al-NPs/CuO-NPs/PTFE nanocomposites. Before 615 °C, PTFE is oxidized by CuO-NPs and oxidizing Al-NPs, resulting mass reduction. After 615 °C, the excessive aluminum and copper (I)/copper (II) oxide will proceed the exothermic condensed phase reaction.