Assessment of Aluminum Nanopowder Reactivity Behavior Produced by Evaporation - Condensation Method under Air Atmosphere

In this paper aluminum nanopowder reactivity was investigated under air atmosphere. Aluminum nanopowder was produced through evaporation-condensation method. The thermal behavior was studied via non-isothermal oxidation of nanopowders with average particle size of 45 nm by differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry analysis. Comparisons were also made to the micrometer sized particles. Several parameters have been used to characterize the reactivity of aluminum nanoparticles, including the onset and temperature of maximum oxidation rate, which were 490 °C and 528 °C, respectively. It was found that beside the superior surface area, the high reactivity of nanopowders may be attributed to the deviation of nanoparticles from spherical shape and broad particle size distribution.