Influence of humidity on the thermal behavior of aluminum nanopowders

Aluminum (Al) nanopowders have increasingly gained attention because of their potential incorporation in explosive and propellant mixtures. This paper reports on a qualitative study on influence of humidity on the thermal behavior of Al nanopowders and the oxidation of aluminum nanoparticles containing a passivating oxide coating. The thermal behaviors were identified by DSC–TG, and Al nanopowders were examined using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) to understand the stability of the oxide coating in aluminum nanoparticles. It was found that the diameter of Al nanoparticles was in range of 10–100 nm. The original Al nanoparticles were covered by a 3 nm thick compact amorphous oxide layer. After stored for 8 weeks, the oxide layer grew up to 5 nm thick, and the oxidation diffused to the interior of Al nanoparticles. The results indicate that the reactivity of Al nanopowders is deeply influenced by the environment, especially the humidity. The higher relative humidity would accelerate the aging of the Al nanopowders. The DSC–TG results show the oxidation of Al nanoparticles occurs at least in two steps.