Investigation of the Burning Properties of Ti/C-Type Delay Composition in the Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis (SHS) Process

Abstract

This study explored the reaction characteristics and the burning properties of titanium/carbon (Ti/C)–type delay composition in the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) process. First, the initial reaction temperature and reaction heat of these two types of delay compositions were measured by means of differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), which can aid understanding of the reaction characteristics in advance. Afterward, these delay compositions of different formulas were processed to be cylindrical pellets and were characterized by measuring their burning properties, including igniting ability, burning rate, and output flame temperature. In the experiments, the cylindrical pellets were packed into a heat-resisting quartz tube and were ignited by an electrical-heating wire. A high-speed video camera and a digital-image processing device were used simultaneously to record their combustion phenomena such as ignition and flame propagation. In addition, the output flame temperature was detected by placing a thermocouple at the end of the quartz tube. The influence of each ingredient of the formula on the reaction characteristics and the burning properties was analyzed from the experimental results. The consequences of these analyses will contribute to the evaluation of applied feasibility and limiting factors of the SHS-type delay compositions in the self-destruction mechanism modules of fuses.

Keywords:

• Burning properties
• Reaction characteristics
• Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis
• Titanium/carbon

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This research was financially supported by the National Science Council of R.O.C. under Grant No. NSC 99-2623-E-606-002-D.

Notes

Notes. The A series used the fine Ti powder with 45-µm average particle size. The B series used the coarse Ti powder with 106-µm average particle size.