Laser ignition of high-energy materials containing AlB[2] and AlB[12] powders

Boron-containing substances are known to have high gravimetric and volumetric heats of oxidation in comparison with any metals that make them promising for using in high-energy materials. This work is aimed to study ignition characteristics of ammonium perchlorate and nitrate-based composite solid propellants containing aluminium borides by means of radiative heating by CO[2]-laser. It was found that the effect upon laser ignition (ignitability) at full replacement of ASD-4 aluminum powder by aluminium diboride and dodecaboride is close. The ignition time of HEM is reduced by 2.0–2.5 times compared with ASD-4 HEM sample in the heat flux density range of 90–200 W/cm{2}