Al-TCPP MOF Coated flake-μAl <i>via in situ</i> growth: A chloride-resistant energetic material

Aluminum powders are widely recognized for their exceptional energy density and combustion performance, making them indispensable in applications such as solid propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics. However, their performance is significantly reduced by chloride-induced corrosion when mixed with perchlorate-based oxidizers. To address this issue, we developed a coating layer of Al-TCPP nanosheets on the surface of flake micro-aluminum (flake-[Formula: see text] Al) powder using an in situ growth technique, resulting in a flake-[Formula: see text] Al@Al-TCPP composite. Compared to uncoated flake-[Formula: see text] Al, the Al-TCPP coating exhibits remarkable Cl[Formula: see text] corrosion resistance, with no phase or morphological degradation observed even after 65 days in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. This improvement is attributed to the ability of the Al-TCPP shell’s ability to generate singlet oxygen ( 1 O[Formula: see text] and hydroxyl radicals (⋅OH), which facilitates the self-repair of the oxide film following chloride-induced pitting. Furthermore, the combustion calorific value of the coated product retains up to 92% of that of flake micro-aluminum powder, with only a 2.85% loss in combustion calorific value after soaking in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for 10 days. Our findings offer a novel approach to aluminum-based energetic materials, providing unparalleled stability and performance.