In order to obtain the effect of porosity on the dynamic mechanical properties and impact response characteristics of high aluminum content PTFE/Al energetic materials, PTFE/Al specimens with porosities of 1.2%, 10%, 20%, and 30% were prepared by adding additives. The dynamic compression properties and impact response characteristics of high aluminum content PTFE/Al energetic materials with porosity were studied by using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) impact loading experimental system. Based on the one-dimensional viscoplastic hole collapse model, an impact temperature rise analysis model including melting effects was used, and corresponding calculation analysis was performed. The results show that with the increase of porosity, the yield strength and compressive strength of the material will decrease. Under dynamic loading, the reaction duration of PTFE/Al energetic materials with different porosities generally shows a tendency to become shorter as the porosity increases, while the ignition delay time is basically unchanged. In this experiment, the material response has the optimal porosity with the lowest critical strain rate, the optimal porosity for PTFE/Al energetic materials with different porosity and high aluminum content (50/50 mass ratio, size of specimens Φ8 × 5 mm) is 10%. The research results can provide an important reference for the engineering application of PTFE/Al energetic materials.

Metal/fluoropolymer composites are a category of energetic structural materials that release energy through exothermic chemical reactions initiated under highly dynamic loadings. In this paper, the chemical reaction mechanism of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)/Ti/W composites is investigated through thermal analysis and composition analysis. These composites undergo exothermic reactions at 510 °C to 600 °C, mainly producing TiF_x. The tungsten significantly reduces the reaction heat due to its inertness. In addition, the dynamic compression properties and impact-induced reaction behaviors of PTFE/Ti/W composites with different W content prepared by pressing and sintering are studied using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar and high speed photography. The results show that both the mechanical strength and the reaction degree are significantly improved with the increasing strain rate. Moreover, as W content increases, the mechanical strength is enhanced, but the elasticity/plasticity is decreased. The PTFE/Ti/W composites tend to become more inert with the increasing W content, which is reflected by the reduced reaction degree and the increased reaction threshold for the impact ignition.

Metal/fluoropolymer composites represent a new category of energetic structural materials that release energy through exothermic chemical reactions initiated under shock loading conditions. This paper describes an experiment designed to study the reaction characteristics of energetic materials with low porosity under explosive loading. Three PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)/Ti/W mixtures with different W contents are processed through pressing and sintering. An inert PTFE/W mixture without reactive Ti particles is also prepared to serve as a reference. Shock-induced chemical reactions are recorded by high-speed video through a narrow observation window. Related shock parameters are calculated based on experimental data, and differences in energy release are discussed. The results show that the reaction propagation of PTFE/Ti/W energetic materials with low porosity under explosive loading is not self-sustained. As propagation distance increases, the energy release gradually decreases. In addition, reaction failure distance in PTFE/Ti/W composites is inversely proportional to the W content. Porosity increased the failure distance due to higher shock temperature.

To obtain the influence of the Bi₂O₃ particle content of a PTFE/Al/Bi₂O₃ reactive material (later referred to as PAB) on its shock-induced chemical reaction (SICR) characteristics, five kinds of PAB with different Bi₂O₃ contents were prepared; the reaction process in a drop-hammer test, recorded using a high-speed camera, was analyzed. The ignition and reaction mechanisms of PAB under mechanical impact were analyzed based on the thermochemical reaction characteristics and the microstructure. The results show that with an increase in Bi₂O₃ content, the shock-induced chemical reaction duration and the sensitivity of PAB increase, and then decrease. When the Bi₂O₃ content is 9%, the impact sensitivity is the highest and the reaction duration is the longest. The heating at the crack tip is responsible for PAB ignition under long-pulse low-velocity impact. During ignition, PAB undergoes several physicochemical changes such as the melting of PTFE, a PTFE/Bi₂O₃ reaction, an Al/Bi₂O₃ reaction, pyrolysis of the melted PTFE, and a C₂F₄/Al reaction; moreover, the presence of Bi₂O₃ decreases the excitation threshold of the reactive material, which facilitates the propagation of the reaction and improves the degree of the reaction and overall energy release of the reactive material.

In order to obtain the chemical reaction mechanism of Al-rich Al/PTFE/TiH₂ composites in argon and oxygen atmosphere, Al/PTFE, PTFE/TiH₂, Al/TiH₂ and Al-rich Al/PTFE/TiH₂ with different contents of TiH₂ composites were prepared by using the wet mixing method. The pyrolysis behavior of the above composites was investigated by thermogravimetric differential scanning calorimeter (TG-DSC). In addition, the calorific value of the above composite was measured by an oxygen bomb calorimeter. The compositions of TG-DSC residues at different peak temperatures and 1000 °C and the residues of oxygen bomb experiment were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), The results show that the pyrolytic products of Al-rich Al/PTFE/TiH₂ materials under argon atmosphere can be divided into four stages. In the first stage (328.6–378.6 °C), the products are TiH_1.924, (C₂F₄)_n, (CF₂)_n, H₂(g), Al and TiH₂; in the second stage (510.8–534.3 °C), the products are Al, TiH_1.924, (C₂F₄)_n, (CF₂)_n, Ti, AlF₃, TiF₃, TiF₄(g), C and H₂(g). In the third stage (540.8–618.1 °C), the products are Al, C, Ti, (C₂F₄)_n, (CF₂)_n, AlF₃, TiF₃, TiF₄, CF₄(g), C₃F₆(g), C₄F₈(g), C₂F₆(g), Al₅Ti₂ and H₂(g); in the fourth stage (918.5–1000 °C), the products are AlCTi₂, Al₂Ti, AlTi, TiC, AlF₃, Al, TiF₃, TiC_0.957, TiC_0.981 and TiC_0.95. The calorific value of the combustion of Al-rich Al/PTFE/TiH₂ composite with 10% the content of TiH₂ is the highest and is 19,899 J/g, which is 3.776% higher than that of Al-rich Al/PTFE composite. When TiH₂ content is greater than zero and not more than 10%, the chemical reaction mechanism of Al-rich Al/PTFE/TiH₂ is almost the same under oxygen atmosphere. When the content of TiH₂ is higher than 10%, the mechanism of this material is different.

Sintering process is an important part of the specimen preparation process, which directly affects the properties of materials. In order to obtain the best sintering control factors of Al-rich PTFE/Al/TiH₂ active materials, Al-rich PTFE/Al/TiH₂ active specimens with different sintering control factors were prepared using a mold pressing sintering method. A quasi-static compression experiment was carried out on a universal material testing machine, and a real stress-strain curve was obtained. The effects of sintering control factors on the properties of Al-rich PTFE/Al/TiH₂ active materials were analyzed by means of mechanical parameters such as compressive strength, failure strain and toughness. SEM and XRD were used to analyze the microstructure and phase of the sintered samples. The results show that: (1) With the increase of cooling rate, the density, yield strength, strain hardening modulus, compressive strength and toughness of Al-rich Al/PTFE/TiH₂ specimens decrease gradually, while the failure strain and pores of the specimens increase gradually. (2) With the increase of sintering temperature, the density, maximum true strain and toughness of the specimens first increase and then decrease, and the failure strain of the specimens gradually increases. When the sintering temperature is 360 °C, the PTFE matrix and particles inside the specimen are closely combined, a small number of particles are exposed on the PTFE matrix and there are a small number of voids. (3) With the increase of holding time at 360 °C, the strength and toughness of the material first decrease and then increase. When the holding time is 6 h, the interface between particles and matrix inside the specimen is the strongest, and the crack propagation inside the specimen is less. (4) When the sintering time increased from 1 h to 4 h at 315 °C, the compressive strength of the specimen increased by 1.62%, the toughness of the specimen decreased by 0.55% and the failure strain of the specimen decreased by 0.54%. The interface between PTFE matrix and particles is the strongest and the crack propagation is less in the specimen with a holding time of 4 h. (5) Above all, the optimum sintering parameters of Al-rich Al/PTFE/TiH₂ materials are cooling rate of 25 °C/h, sintering temperature of 360 °C, holding time of 6 h and holding time of 4 h at 315 °C. (6) The reactivity of Al-rich Al/PTFE/TiH₂ specimens with 10% content of TiH₂ under static compression is not significantly affected by sintering parameters.