A new approach in aerogel applications as high explosive materials

In the present study the silica aerogel was used as a substrate for high explosive components to create energetic materials with improved and exceptional explosive properties. Silica aerogels were prepared under fixed silica concentration in the sol, aging time and varied solution pH by using sodium silicate precursor. Synthesized silica aerogels were immersed in n-hexane/acetone peroxide, as a high explosive solution. The explosive solution penetrated into the three dimensional network of silica aerogels. Then acetone peroxide crystalized inside the aerogel network by controlled evaporation of n-hexane. The energetic and super hydrophobic aerogels have been characterized by impact and friction sensitivity. It has been observed that the effects of process variables play crucial roles in sensitivity of prepared energetic silica aerogels which can be optimized by a proper control over nanostructure properties of the substrate