Pyrotechnic Oxidizer Chemistry: Study-Normalized Performance Comparison and Bibliometric Mapping

Modern pyrotechnic materials are evolving from conventional fuel–oxidizer mixtures toward function-oriented energetic systems designed for controlled ignition, light emission, gas generation, pressure output and thermal response. This review analyzes recent progress in pyrotechnic materials through oxidizer chemistry, thermal and kinetic behavior, study-normalized performance comparison and bibliometric mapping. Representative oxidizer families, including nitrates, perchlorates, chlorates, metal oxides, hybrid oxide–salt systems, high-nitrogen salts, halogen-oxo oxidizers and coordination nitrate complexes, are compared in terms of chemical role and functional output. Thermal data show that decomposition temperature, heat release and activation energy must be interpreted together, since lower activation energy can indicate either enhanced reactivity or degradation during aging. A study-normalized relative performance factor (RPF) was used to compare performance changes within individual publications. The strongest relative improvements were associated with oxide selection, particle-size reduction, hybrid oxidizer design and coupling of nanothermites with gas-generating components. Bibliometric mapping confirmed a shift toward metal-based energetic materials, nanothermites, gas generators, combustion diagnostics, color systems and pyrotechnic devices. These trends show that oxidizer chemistry, particle architecture and additive function are increasingly selected for defined pressure, gas, light or thermal outputs.