Effect of iron oxide/polytetrafluoroethylene on combustion performance of aluminum-water propellant

Compared with conventional solid propellants, aluminum-water propellant offers advantages such as low cost and environmentally friendly combustion products, positioning it as a new-generation green propellant. However, in practical applications, aluminum-water propellant suffers from a series of issues including low combustion efficiency and excessive product residues. The raw aluminum powder was modified by introducing iron (Ⅲ) oxide (Fe₂O₃) and the fluoropolymer Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as additives. The effects of these additives on the thermal decomposition behavior, combustion characteristics, and aluminum particle agglomeration of aluminum-water propellant were systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that both Fe₂O₃ and PTFE significantly enhance the heating rate, combustion intensity, burning rate, and combustion efficiency of the propellant, while effectively inhibiting aluminum particle agglomeration. Specifically, Fe₂O₃ exhibits the most pronounced promoting effect on burning rate, achieving an increase of up to 82%, along with a maximum reduction of 53.2% in the average diameter of combustion products and a 9.6% improvement in combustion efficiency. PTFE increases the burning rate by up to 63% and reduces the average combustion product diameter by a maximum of 46%. This study provides new insights and experimental evidence for the formulation optimization of advanced aluminum-water propellants.