Laritchev_2002abstr

 

ALUMINUM NANOPARTICLES AS THE ENERGY SOURCE FOR MARTIAN MISSIONS

Michail Laritchev, Alexey Jigatch, Ilia Leipunsky, Michael Kuskov, Pavel Pshechenkov

Institute for Energy Problems of Chemical Physics of Russian Academy of Science

119334, Russia, Moscow V-334, Leninsky prospect, 38, 2E-mail: mlarichev@chph.ras.ru

 

 

This work is an expansion of idea of usage of carbon dioxide (main component of Mars atmosphere) as an oxidizer for metal (magnesium, aluminum etc.) particulate fuel for application as energy source at Mars atmospheric conditions.

 

Our hypothesis is that submicron and nanoparticles powder of Al can be used successfully for this purpose than micron size powder because the diminution of size of particles changes completely the mechanism of Al particles oxidation. Comparative study of oxidation of nano (30-100 nm) and micron (3 and 5 mcm) size Al particles demonstrate it clearly. The chemical modification of surface of Al particles permits to change not only surface properties of nanoparticles but also the temperature of oxidation beginning, the structure of solid oxidation products and prevents to syntexis of nanoparticles during passing of melting point. Surface chemical modification allows to control the surface oxidation and may be used for design of nanocomposite fuel for Martian energy sources.

 

Keywords: nanosize particles, aluminium powder, oxidation in carbon dioxide, Martian energy source, nanocomposite fuel, structure of solid oxidation products