Enhanced laser ignition and combustion performance of Boron-based energetic materials via nitrocellulose-coated nano-spherical BiF3

Boron (B) powders are widely utilized as energetic materials (EMs) due to high combustion calorific value, but the oxide layer (B 2 O 3 ) that adhering on active B core results in long ignition delay time and low combustion efficiency. For solving the negative influence of B 2 O 3 and promoting the combustion performances of B powders, a simple solvent-evaporation self-assembly (SESA) method was employed to guide B particles adhere on the surface of BiF 3 nanosphere, where BiF 3 nanosphere was synthesized by hydrothermal method and nitrocellulose (NC) was used as binder. Then the structural and combustion properties of prepared samples were characterized and investigated by various technical methods. The results reveal that B/BiF 3 /NC (NC: 5 wt%) exhibits the highest calorific value ( Q v = 15.85 ± 0.059 kJ·g −1 ) compared to B/CuO/NC, B/Bi 2 O 3 /NC and B/Co 3 O 4 /NC, which is 1.81 times that of original B/BiF 3 (8.74 ± 0.050 kJ·g −1 ). Moreover, B/BiF 3 /NC shows superior pressurization rate (33.82 ± 2.02 kPa·ms −1 ), moderate combustion process and adjustable combustion rate. This study offers an effective method to improve the combustion of B powders.